Haunted 2: The Demon Returns
by aika-chan02
Summary: Ayame is about to face her doom, she has her friends to protect her. But they're not strong enough, to whom will they seek help with? Would they find one before it's too late for Ayame?
1. Chapter 1: Friendship

**If you've read my other story: Haunted, you will know the characters and the happenings when you read the events in this story. This is the sequel of the story. It's still the same – every chapter contains different PoV's, they can be either more than two or just one person.

* * *

**

I stepped my feet as I stared at two graves in front of me. It was me, all by myself, inside the town cemetery. I sat down on the grass and rested my arms on my thighs. Those two tombstones… with my two best friends buried in it, I started to cry when I only realized that they were dead… dead at the same time. It was that time when Ayame and I found their dead bodies lying on the bathroom floor. Drei's body was bathed in blood, while Ryu's wasn't. He hasn't bore any scratch. I fell on my knees and cried, burying my face on Drei's bloodied body even if I didn't care if my face my covered in blood. Why… why… why..?

I was glad that they have saved our lives from the demon's grasp. The black wound in my arm was gone, thanks to them.

But I am completely sad that we've lost them…

"I miss you…" I muttered, wiping away the tears in my eyes.

I stood up and took my last glimpse at them. I sighed as I walked away.

I later caught up on Ayame. She was sitting alone on a table, drinking smoothie while reading an old book of Supernatural Stuff. She looked really disappointed. I sat on a chair.

"Hi, Ayame," I said with a smile.

She looked up at me, she only gave me a brief smile and to look back at the book.

"I know they're dead… but they saved our lives,"

"…but we've lost them." Ayame finished my sentence before I would continue. She placed her hand on her chin. "You know, I used to like Toshi, but I heard that he likes someone else…"

"Yeah…" I nodded.

"Ami, let's keep this to ourselves," I felt her fingers touch mine. "Ever since I met Drei for a very long time, she introduced Ryu to me. I was glad that it was my chance to get to know a boy. When this happened, my feelings grew upon him. I didn't understand why I have a stubborn crush on Toshi…"

"Are you telling me that you like R-"

Ayame quickly placed her hand on my lips to shut up. "Ssssshhh!!!" she hushed and glared. "He may be dead but his soul's watching."

"Duh, he already heard you," I smirked.

Ayame sighed. "I hope he'll understand I was telling the truth…"

"I promise this is a secret we'll ever keep," I vowed.

"Really?" she asked with a grin.

"Yes, no matter what we are, we'll always be best friends… and we, you, me, Drei, Janize, and Thei-"

"Don't forget Rein!"

"Yeah, Rein! We, six friends, will always be best friends… forever!"

We gave each other our friendship hug. I almost forgot that Rein is the only boy in our group, but who cares?

"_Magkaibigan… kahit kalian… _no matter what…" Ayame smiled.

I remembered the song Dri used to sing back when she was alive. When she and I first met back in kindergarten, she was humming that song and we totally got inspired…

"_Sa lahat ng luha… lagi kang may kasama… sa gitna ng ulan… karamay mo ako kaibigan…_

…_sa tatahakin mong daan… hindi kita iiwan… di ka na mag-iisa… kaibigan…"_

I could still remember it. That song is telling us that…

…we friends should stick together…

…and friends are always meant to be together. I wanted to cry… that song is forever stuck in my mind. She also sang that song in front of us, she was in tears while she was singing it. Ryu once saw her placing her hands on her chest with her eyes closed and singing… she was crying softly as her voice was as sweet as a nightingale. I knew that she dedicates it to Ryu… and to us…

Ryu didn't want to see her cry.

"_Peng you yi shen yi

* * *

qi zou na xie re zhi bu zhai you…"_

It was a Chinese song she always listens to, I mean… both of them. She sleeps while humming that song over and over. But this did not disturb Ryu. He knows that Drei has lots of conflicts among friends. He could feel her terrible pain and heartache.

When she and Janize fought the third time, Janize told us that Drei is just wasting her reputation just to have friends, not even knowing what she was saying from her mouth. She didn't even know if Drei really acts that way because of her extreme heartache. They say that she is beautiful in the outside but very rotten and ugly in the inside. I know that because I, too, was very cute and pretty outside, but harsh in the inside. Janize was complaining why am I defending Drei. It is because **she **was the one ruining her reputation. She should be ashamed of herself.

She and Drei soon make up… without accepting her apology.

But when she heard that Chinese song, it made her realize something.

Later, Ayame and I decided to go to grocery to buy some snacks for the others. I turned my head at her when I caught her looking at something.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Ayame gasped. "Oh nothing," she replied with a nervous smile then she frowned. "I saw someone looking at me…"

"What?"

First, I didn't believe her. But when I blinked, I saw a lady in ragged clothes looking at us. She had a long white messy hair covering her distorted face. I could see the pool of blood on her bare feet. I was surprised that the lady looks just like Ayame!

"Let's get out of here," Ayame grabbed me by the wrist as my eyes were glued on the lady staring furiously at me with her blazing red eyes.

* * *

**In case you are wondering what that song is, it is "Peng You" sung by Kim Chou and Yeng Constantino from Pinoy Big Brother. But the original singer of this Chinese song was Emil Chou. I do NOT own that song.

* * *

**

_Magkaibigan kahit kailan _~ Friends Forever

For all the Filipinos reading this story, they will understand the lyrics and maybe they could translate it ^^; I don't have to translate it because it will only ruin the story. (hehe sorry...)

**UPDATED: **03/29/10


	2. Chapter 2: Spirit Spirit

I slowly closed my eyes and lit up a candle. It was eleven fifty-eight in the evening as I waited for the big hand to strike at twelve. I was alone in our room, sitting over a carpet. It's just me and the candle inside the room. I pulled out an old board with stars, letters, numbers, and circles in it. It was called the Ouija board if you asked. I placed it on the carpet and looked at the clock. It was eleven fifty-nine and I still have sixty seconds left before I could start. There was complete and eerie silence. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath…

…until I stared at the clock again.

Perfect… let's start…

I took out a round-shaped glass and placed it facedown on the board. I stared intensely at it.

"Spirit, are you there?" I asked softly.

The glass kept still. I've waited until the glass moved on its own. My fingers were barely touching it and they were just lightly on top of it. It made its way to "Yes". I could feel my heart beating.

"Tell me your name, spirit…" I said.

I concentrated on its movement as it spelled out its name: S-Y-D-N-E-Y.

Sydney…

I've heard of that name before. It was the demon haunting us inside our dorm. But since I heard that Ryu killed it, I bet it has returned.

Being here all by myself seemed like a bad… bad, bad idea. I need a company. It was then when I heard the door creaked open. It was Toshi stepping inside the room. I've been waiting for him to play this game with me, but he's late…

"About time," I said.

"Sorry, Thei, that damn Janize is been whining about the recipes about the muffins she'll be baking." Toshi rubbed his head before squatting down in front of the Ouija board. "Have you started yet?" he asked.

"Yeah… the spirit has arrived and her name's Sydney." I replied.

He was looking directly at the board. "I see," he nodded. "Spirit… what are you? How did you die? Where are you now?" he asked the spirit.

The glass answered obediently.

Seventeenth century ghost… Stabbed to death… H…e…

The glass had paused from its moving. Sydney seemed distracted. We were surprised that the glass moved like circles around the board. Toshi put his hand on the glass and tightened his grip firmly. The glass struggled from his grasp.

"What's the matter, spirit?" I asked hesitantly.

The glass calmed down a bit and answered obediently.

"Nothing," was the reply.

Suddenly, the glass started moving rapidly to the letters. Sydney's trying to tell us something. We've concentrated on her message.

"_Where is Celine?"_

Celine? Who the hell is Celine, anyway?

"I have a question, Thei." Toshi said to me. "Why the hell would you contact Sydney? Aren't we supposed to contact Ryu and Drei's spirits?" Eep.

I gulped. He was right.

"Great, now we have to get rid of Sydney!" I growled.

"NO!" was the glass' reply.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Sydney." I said. "You may leave now."

The glass kept on replying 'no'.

Just then, we saw a translucent figure walking towards us. It was Sydney. I knew she would return. She stared furiously at us with her bloody-red eyes. I could see blood falling through her cheeks, which confirmed me that she was shedding bloody tears. Her face was distorted and she was wearing ragged clothes. Her hair was pleaded and very messy.

The cold gust of the wind put off the flame of the candle.

"Damn it, Thei, do you have a plan?" Toshi asked.

"Shut up," I growled. I lit up my match so I could light the candle again, but to no avail. The glass moved on its own.

"Die!"

My God… Drei… Ryu,,, help us! Get the hellish spirit out of here…

I suddenly felt the cold gust of the wind brush through my cheeks. I blinked and looked down on the floor. I saw another figure in front of us. Toshi stared at the figure's hands… he was wearing the fingerless gloves that looked alike like… …Ryu's gloves!

Those clothes and the baggy jeans, the color of his hair was bright orange. The figure looked back at us as I stared at his piercing emerald-green eyes. Wait a minute…

It is Ryu!

He faced Sydney as I heard the evil woman let out a grunt.

"You!" she growled. "I thought you were dead!"

"My body's dead, but my soul isn't!" Ryu replied in anger.

The woman growled as she suddenly disappeared like dust. Ryu must have scared her away.

"Thanks, buddy." Toshi said.

"Don't tell me you called the spirit of Sydney," Ryu muttered, not looking at us.

"It was her idea," Toshi pointed at me.

I whacked him the Ouija board on the head as he let out a yelp. "Hey!" he protested.

"She has returned…" I heard Ryu mutter. "This time, she's after Ayame…"

"Oh," I blinked my eyes. "And how come Drei's not with you, what are you doing here on earth anyway?" I asked.

"I sensed the demon lurking nearby and I discovered that she's looking for Ayame. The heaven goddess told me to go to earth and protect you. I told Drei not to come along… because I knew she would only get hurt… so she stayed in heaven to watch over…" he explained.

"Ryu… it's time to go…" I heard a voice.

"H-hey, was that Drei?" Toshi asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. It was Drei's voice we heard. She was telling Ryu to go back.

"Oh, I gotta go…" Ryu told us. "Drei's calling me…" he nodded at us before he disappeared like vapor.  
I stared back at the Ouija board I'm holding in my hands. The candle was there on the carpet. There was complete silence in the room.

I heard the door slam open. Janize was there, holding a tray of the muffins she baked. I was glad Rein paid us a visit.

"Hi, Thea Benei!" Rein greeted me sarcastically.

"Asshole…" I glared at him.

"I hope those muffins won't taste like dirt, sis…" Toshi stared at Janize, who was his little sister, at the corner of his eye while his arms were folded.

"It'll taste better if I put my saliva in it," Janize replied.

Yuck! I won't eat those!

I was surprised that Rein was drinking a glass of vodka as he gulped them down his throat. He even told me that he drank right about four glasses of vodka by the time he arrived.

The door flew open as two girls arrived – Ayame and the pumpkin-faced monster.

"I see you bought a bottle of champagne," Janize smiled.

"C-champagne?" Rein and Toshi growled in unison.

"I forgot we shouldn't have showed Rein the champagne otherwise he'll go nuts," Ami sighed. "He's usually crazy about vodkas and champagnes."

"I'd say we should do shots!" Toshi suggested.

"NO!" Ami and Ayame growled while shaking their heads.

"YES!" Rein, Toshi, Janize and I agreed. I always liked drinking wine in a shot glass.

"We should do this for Ryu," Rein smiled.

"Drei won't be very happy if you invited her," Ami sighed again.

"Oh please, don't expect us to get drunk!" Ayame winced. "Besides, we'll blame you if one us gets drunk that he totally raped one of us girls!"

"Besides, we're only in our fourteens and fifteens!" Ami added.

"Exactly," I nodded. "You should get used to it." I turned my direction towards Rein. "Rein wants to get drunk so he'll get the chance to fuck Ami as long as he wants."

Everyone burst into shock, even Ami was surprised.

"Rein you…" she began.

"Don't listen to that bitch," Rein denied what I said.

"Actually, I say doing shots is a great idea," said a voice.

I knew it was Drei's voice.

"See?" I smiled mischievously. "Even Drei wants it!"

If Drei is in heaven, why is she scaring us to death whenever we hear her voice somewhere else?

**UPDATED: 03/29/10**


	3. Chapter 3: Feelings

Stupid bunch of morons…

Have they lost their minds?

First of all, I have to blame Janize's stupid mouth when the word 'champagne' escaped from her lips. Thanks to her, everyone, except Ami and me, broke into jeers and howls and now that Toshi suggested that we should do shots… you know, like a red wine inside a shot glass and you will drink it straight down your throat then let anyone else do the same over and over until one of them gets drunk.

Deep inside, I am sad… very sad.

We would have been happy and in the mood when they didn't die at the same time. The person I'd love… he's the special person in my heart. I remembered the time I hid Drei in the closet just to keep her away from Ryu because he looked like he wanna assassinate her. Then we broke into an argument. He was so angry that I can already see the anger on his face, like he wanna kill me first before Drei. But after sometime later, I knew he's also concerned about me and my sensitive third eye. I've kept my feelings for him for a very long time and I was terrified out of my mind when I found out that he was dead already. I have lost my secret love… but I still kept my feelings… and him in my heart… I knew his soul is watching. I do love him so much that I can't even resist of not looking at him. I feel like he's the one…

Back to the grocery store earlier with Ami, I was looking for snacks when my eyes caught a lady in ragged clothes staring furiously at me with her blazing red eyes. She looked exactly like me. I could see her bare feet stepping on a pool of blood. I couldn't move because she was walking towards me. Ami was able to snap me out by shaking me violently as we left, my eyes glued on the lady.

And I knew she also saw it, too.

I looked back at the four people huddled around in a circle with two bottles of vodka at the center. They were drinking them in a shot glass one person at a time. That was their fifth lap! I was grossed out when I saw droplets of vodka oozing from Rein's lips without his companions noticing it.

I entered inside the mysterious room where I saw Ryu back when he was alive. I knelt down on the floor filled with cobwebs and spiders as I placed my hands on my chest. I looked up at the ceiling. I imagined Ryu's translucent soul descending down to me to hear my message.

"I love you, Ryu… Please accept my feelings…" I whispered.

All I heard was the eerie silence as I felt the cold gust of the wind brush against my cheeks. I've never felt the air that cold before. I felt goosebumps because I could feel someone invisible was with me. I squeezed my eyes shut to escape this horrible nightmare. I fluttered my eyes back open to see a translucent figure standing in front of me as shivers ran down my spine. I thought it was the same woman I saw earlier. But this time, it was a figure wearing jeans, a black T-shirt, a silver guitar necklace, those fingerless gloves, I've recognized them. I looked up.

The figure had bright orange hair and piercing emerald-green eyes.

My heart started pounding. Could it be?

"Ayame…" said a male voice.

Someone was calling my name. I knew that voice. It was…

I blinked and the figure was still there, looking at me. It was him…

Ryu…

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I spoke. "I… I love you, Ryu… I really do…" I confessed between sobs. "I've kept my feelings for you for a very long time…"

"I love you, too…"

I gasped and looked up again. He was staring at me with those green orbs. He knelt in front of me as my face met his.

"I also have feelings for you, Ayame…" he said to me. "I'm really sorry if I left you suffering. It's just the way things are…"

My hands landed on the floor. "Oh… Ryu, I miss you so much!" I cried.

"I miss you, too." He replied.

My face started to turn red. He also feels the same way I feel about him. I wish there is such thing as reincarnation, so I could be with him forever so we could vow our eternal love for each other.

Now… it's broken…

"I love you, Ayame," he confessed as he leaned closer.

I was quite scared that he might put a curse on me. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I felt his hand pull me towards him. H-huh? He was holding me in his arms…

…I felt his lips touch mine.

I felt my heart spinning as my cheeks started to turn red. Tears were still rolling down my cheeks as I leaned closer. Ahh… I want this to last forever… I closed my eyes and gave in to the kiss.

"I'm very happy for you…" said another voice.

It was Drei's voice I heard from heaven. She knows that I had deep feelings for her brother. My dream finally came true… he had taken me.

He parted from me as he stood up. He turned his back and gave me a brief smile. "I gotta go… I'll always be watching," he said as he disappeared like vapor. I heard his voice telling me that he loves me.

"I love you…" I replied while watching him disappear. I placed my fingers on my lips with my cheeks red. I can't believe it…

I slowly stood up and left the room with a smile on my lips.

"Ayame, where have you been?" Ami asked. "I've been looking for you for an hour."

I shook my blush away. "Oh nothing… I just made out with someone…"

"Made out with whom?"

I took a deep breath as I drew closer. "Ryu…" I whispered on her ear.

"Oh… my… God…" she placed her hand on her lips, smiling. "Y-you did?"

I nodded slowly.

"I'm so proud of you, girl!" Ami wrapped her arms around me.

"I also heard Drei's voice… she was… happy…"

"She knows you have feelings for Ryu."

Four hours later, I stared at the clock, it was midnight as Ami and I entered inside the room to go to sleep. The four had stopped doing their shots. They've finished the muffins and the bottles of vodka. None of them got drunk. Talk about weird…

"Man, that was a blast!" Toshi stretched his arms.

"Let's call it a night!" Janize smiled.

"Ooh, I see Ayame got drunk," Rein looked at me teasingly. Hey, I wasn't drunk!

"Let's just go to sleep," Thei said. "Rein, one reminder for you, once I've catch you trying to fuck Ami, you'll be kicked out of this house."

"Fuck your stupid vagina, bitch," Rein rolled his eyes playfully.

Thei's jaw dropped open as she gritted her teeth. She slapped the no-good Rein on the face. Soon, they broke into a cat fight.

Toshi kicked Rein by the crotch. "Don't start again, asshole."

"Hit him again!" Janize demanded.

Rein spread his arms. "Stop! Stoooooop!!!" he growled.

"_Kung wala kang magawa sa buhay mo, magpakamatay ka na lang! _(If you have nothing better to do in your life, you might as well kill yourself!)" Thei growled.

Oh boy…


	4. Chapter 4: Drei, is that you?

What was Rein thinking anyway? He's just making a fool out of himself.

Everyone went to their beds… well, except the bed spaces for our two friends who left us. We really missed them so badly. Well, Ayame was sleeping alone on her bed while I sleep with Ami, as usual. Thei and Toshi were "bed-mates" on ther bed. I am usually disturbed by Toshi's noisy snoring, I always end up placing a pillow over my ears. But what about Rein? Well, he's sleeping with Ayame, but she doesn't mind only if he won't do what he's gonna do to Ami.

I was the last one to lie down on the bed next to Ami. Thei turned off the lamp and it was pitch-black in the entire room. I hate it when it's dark. I decided to light up a candle so I could sleep, but to no avail.

Fuck it, I can't even sleep!

Is it because I drank too much wine?

I took one of Drei's books she used to read as I flipped its pages until I stopped at the first page. I read every word and I saw few pictures drawn by the artists and the author.

I heard Ayame moaning in her sleep. I stared at her and she's just sleeping as she moved her head sideways. She was hugging her pillow tightly, like she was hugging her boyfriend or something. I shrugged and continued reading. I turned my head at her again and was shocked to see a shadowy figure drew closer at her! I was terrified out of my mind.

"Ryu…" Ayame muttered in her sleep.

I dropped the book I was reading and shook Ami violently.

"Ami, Ami!" I cried, my voice quivering. "Wake up, quick!"

"Jan…" Ami moaned as she rubbed her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's putting a curse on Ayame!!!" I cried. "And it's over there!" I pointed at the direction of the sleepy Ayame.

Ami looked at Ayame, half asleep. She blinked and saw the shadowy figure, too. She peered intenselt at it. She placed her hands on her lips while hiding a grin. "Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!!!" she squealed.

What's wrong with her?

"H-hey!" I pushed her slightly. "Tell me what is it!"

Ami had a big grin across her face like she'd gone insane. She drew closer to me. "It's Ryu!" she whispered in my ear.

* * *

D-did she just said Ryu?

"Are you serious?" I asked, trembling.

"Relax, Janize, he's not gonna harm you." Ami petted me like she's my mother. "He just paid us a visit and to kiss Ayame good night."

K-kiss??? G-good night???

"Ryu… I love you…" Ayame moaned.

"See?" Ami shot me a look. "Go on, Janize, talk to him." She motioned me to move. But I was too scared to move my body. She got irritated as she pushed me forcefully towards the shadowy figure. I noticed that it was a translucent soul lurking in our dorm. Ami was right… it was Ryu!

"Janize? Ami?" he asked.

"Hi, Ryu!" Ami waved at him with a sweet smile.

"H-h-h-hi-i….." my hand was trembling as I waved at him.

"If you're wondering Drei's not with me, she stayed in heaven to watch over. Sorry if I scared ya." He said.

"She's scared," Ami pointed towards me.

"By the way, I need to tell you something before I leave." Ryu said. "I came here to watch over Ayame. If you saw a woman lurking nearby and she's wearing ragged clothes, it means that she's after Ayame. The bad thing is she looked like Ayame so don't be mistaken. Keep an eye on her for me and Ayame, and tell her that I love her." He explained and walked towards the window.

"Wait, tell Drei that we say hi!" Ami said cheerfully.

"I wish she would go down on earth just for a little while…" I whispered.

Ryu nodded as he disappeared like vapor.

I have to remember those words he said about Ayame. He was so sweet to tell us that he truly loves her. But the woman he was telling us about. I have to ask Ami about this if she knows. When I did, she said it was true! She and Ayame saw her following them in the grocery store before they arrived in the dorm.

"Look!" Ami pointed at a shiny object lying on the floor. She picked it up for me. "Hey, it's a flower!" she cried.

"Hey, what's with the racket?" Thei suddenly woke up from our loud voices. She got up and sat on our bed. "Hey, what's that?" she asked, staring directly at Ami's hand.

"I don't know." Ami shrugged as her index finger touched its tip.

Out of a sudden, the flower began to form a small white circle on top of its tip and a scenario was seen. Man, it was the paradise. I haven't seen heaven that beautiful…

On the grass was Drei playing with the birds and butterflies as she stared at the lotus floating on the crystal-clear pond. She was dressed in a white dress that reached almost below her knees. She was wearing a flower headdress around her head as her dark long hair flew in the breeze. She sat on the grass and held her knees close together like a fetus.

I saw her angelic face look toward us. "Hi!" she smiled at us.

I was totally freaked out, but Ami and Thei weren't.

"Oh my God, Drei!" Ami said gleefully as she clasped her hands. "Is that you?"

"Of course it is me!" Drei replied, giggling.

"Ryu was here a moment ago," I said.

"I know," Drei nodded. "I heard from him that he and Ayame were together. I was really happy for them. I saw how Ayame confessed her feelings at him. I decided to stay here in heaven to relax. Did Ryu told you about the woman lurking nearby?" she asked.

"Yeah…" Ami nodded.

"Hmm?" Thei had a skeptical look on her face.

"Ayame and I saw her following us back at the grocery store before we got back to the dorm." Ami explained. "Hey, Drei, did you know that Janize, Thei, Toshi and Rein were forcing us a while ago to join them do shots?"

Drei laughed. "Yeah, I bet Rein got drunk by now."

"He might get Ayame pregnant…" Thei teased, looking at Rein and Ayame's direction. "Ryu will be so angry when he finds out about this," she broke into giggles.

"I remembered when Ryu and I did shots when we were in our thirteens and twelves…" Drei put a finger on her chin.

What???

"What's wrong with that?" she asked.

Drei's in heaven, she's supposed to do good stuff!

"I would like to give you this," Drei gave us a dark violet flower. "You can see the past and the happening events here in paradise so you won't worry too much."

"What's this?" Thei asked, holding the flower in her hands.

"That's a time flower. Remember, only you can see it. No ordinary person knows about that enchanted plant. Make sure you should place it in a very good and fertilized soil, otherwise you won't be able to see the scenarios." She explained. "Oh, Ryu's here, I gotta go… good night!"

It was back to normal.

"So what's with this other flower for?" Ami asked, holding the flower she found.

"Keep it," I replied.

* * *

**UPDATED: 03/31/10**


	5. Chapter 5: Creepy

The sun's brightness made my eyes twitch. I rubbed my eyes to see the stupid cockroach sleeping beside me. She had her pillow over her ears. Her dark hair was messy from those twitching. A smug spread across my face as I gently poured a glass of citrus on her shirt, just a little amount of juice… I tried not to laugh as I covered my mouth, pretending to be coughing.

"Morning…" I heard my little sis get up while yawning. She looked really exhausted from all those shots we did last night. She put on her bunny slippers when she suddenly bumped into me.

"Hey, watch it will ya?" I growled.

Janize shook her head and blinked several times. She clutched her head like she was feeling dizzy. "Ohh… my head…" she groaned. "I shouldn't have drunk too many…"

"You told me you're used to shots,"

"I am…"

I sighed in frustration as I turned my gaze towards the sleepy Rein asleep next to Ayame, who kept uttering Ryu's name in her sleep several times. I hit his head using a stray pillow I found on the floor. He got up with a yelp. He shot me a dirty look as I backed away.

"Damn, I forgot I have to go to school a little later to work on the school paper." Ami slapped her forehead before she hurriedly hopped out of the bed. She works on the school paper with Thei and Drei and they release them once every three months about the school activities and stuff.

I bet they're gonna publish about the poltergeists loitering by the school halls. I heard tons of rumors about the ghosts in the school and Ayame acting like total weirdo. Ryu once told me that a ghost was following her for some reasons and Ayame was trying her best to avoid it but to no avail. But today, we have no more protections but ourselves. They gave up their lives and gave them to us.

I just had a weird dream last night.

A dream where I was sent to paradise and I saw Drei sitting on the grass, I saw her beauty once again, her dark hair flowing through the breeze and her sapphire-blue eyes staring at me. I was expecting for her to call my good ol' buddy. I was gonna approach the girl I liked the most when the scene crippled into a red background.

In front of my eyes was a scenario, there were two girls bickering and arguing until they broke into a cat fight, like what Rein and Thei did last night. I remembered Rein had a scratch mark on his left cheek by Thei's nails. I noticed that the two girls were twins and they looked identical to Ayame, well a little bit.

"You stole him, Sydney!" the girl, Celine, yelled at her twin sister who was bruised after she scratched her many times on the face.

"He loves me more than you!" Sydney yelled back at her sister while kneeling on the floor.

Celine took out a dagger. "You bitch, you'll never get him again!!!" she yelled as she stabbed Sydney gruesomely. Blood was splattered all around the floor and the walls. She pulled her to the bathroom by the hair while Sydney was screaming and pleading to stop. Still, Celine didn't listen to her. Sydney's scalp began to bleed tremendously.

"P-please stop…" Sydney pleaded as tears rolled down her cheeks as they mixed with the blood cascading down her head.

"This is what you deserve!" Celine grunted as she slammed her sister's head against the bath tub several times, splitting her skull wide open. Sydney lost large amounts of blood as they splattered on the mirror, walls, floor and the bath tub. Celine left the bathroom, laughing sinisterly while holding the dagger on her hand.

The image crippled into another scenario.

I saw Celine again, this time she broke the door open and inside were two little kids. She stared at them with a sinister grin.

"You must be Sydney's kids, huh?" she smirked as she walked near them.

The two kids embraced themselves while whimpering. They cried for help, but Celine slashed their throats to shut up. Blood was on the floor and the bed. Later, she placed three dead bodies inside a sack as she buried them underground. She got a container of kerosene and spilled them all over the sack. She flipped her hair and took out a rolled out newspaper and a lighter. She lit up her lighter as a huge blaze of fire appeared on the newspaper ready to turn into ashes. She threw it on the sack and it combusted into huge flames, burning the dead bodies into ashes. Burnt flesh gagged her as she ran off.

That was the horrible scene I've seen in my entire life… that bitch should be ashamed.

I kept that as a secret.

Ami and Thei left few minutes later for the school paper.

* * *

Thei and I arrived at the school quarter to ten. We entered the school paper editorial room and our staff members were already inside. They were still making the news and the quizzes to be published in the paper.

"Ami, Thei," Kasumi smiled when she saw us. "You've finally arrived!" she was carrying a box of papers.

Hirami and Hikari were in charge of the ink.

Sophie was in charge of the news while Rianne and Elaine were the photographers. The rest were in charge of the trivias, quizzes and the articles submitted by the writers in our school.

Thei was helping Sophie edit the news while I help the photographers sort the pictures to avoid mistakes. When they were done, we've used several sheets of bond paper to see if there were errors and suggestions forgotten to be printed before we print them on the real paper. I saw that they've printed the articles about the poltergeists roaming around the school. I had a bad feeling that everything seems so creepy.

"Soph, why did you print about poltergeists?" I asked, even Thei was surprised.

"The moderator told us to do so." Sophie replied. "We have no choice but to do it."

I nodded as she continued examining every word for grammars and spelling errors.

"Thei, I have a bad feeling about this…" I said to Thei, sitting on her chair while sipping on her iced tea. "I almost forgot, Toshi spilled juice on you while you were sleeping." I whispered.

This made Thei almost spit on her drink. "W-what?"

"I saw him." I replied, placing my leg over my other leg.

"That damn asshole…" she said grimly. "He deserves to go to hell…"

I smiled at her and looked at my other staff members taking a break. I yawned and wiped some sleep out of my eyes. I forgot to wash my face before we left. My eyes caught a lady in ragged clothes with a distorted face looking at me. Her eyes were gouged out of their sockets as she shot me a furious look.

"T-Thei…" I called Thei while I felt goosebumps run down my spine.

"What?" Thei turned her head at me. "You look like you're about to pass out!"

I sighed and felt myself trembling. I lifted my head up and saw the lady's face staring in front of me with bloody tears on her eyes!

I screamed and felt myself losing my consciousness.

* * *

"Ami, Ami!" I shook Ami violently. She lost her consciousness after I heard her let out a bloodcurling scream then she collapsed on the floor.

"What happened to her?" Elaine knelt down towards me.

"It's true…" escaped my lips.

"What's true?"

"Oh nothing…" I shook my head to hide the truth.

Few minutes later, Ami woke up as we all stared at her with our concerned faces. Sophie gave her a glass of water so she could speak.

"I was right after all." Sophie muttered. "I should have published the article about poltergeists!" she said gleefully.

I sighed and saw Marina looking directly at me. She's been quiet for the whole time. She was also watching Ami before she collapsed.

"I thought I saw someone by the door…" Ami pointed at the door.

We all turned to look. It was a lady in ragged clothes looking furiously at me with blazing red eyes, although Ami and I were the only ones who can see it. I could see her bloody tears from her eye sockets. I was surprised that the lady looked a little like Ayame!

I remembered Ryu's warning about a lady lurking nearby that looked almost like his girlfriend, it's Ayame of course.

"Take a rest, Ami." Elaine said to Ami as she helped her stand up.

I watched the two girls talk for awhile as Marina approached me. "Thei, I wanna talk to you…"

Oh…

We found a vacant spot on a table. Marina was sitting on a chair in front of me. Her light blue hair fell like giant waves from an ocean. "Thei, what was Ami trying to tell us about?" she asked.

What is this? An innocent person asking us almost about our third eyes…

"Promise me you won't tell anyone?" I asked.

"I promise…" she nodded.

"It's about a lady in ragged clothes… that looked a little like Ayame…"

"I see…"

"Huh?"

"I heard rumors about Ryu and Drei having very strong third eyes that they could see weird creatures lurking in the school. But today, they were dead, am I right?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"It was strange about how they died…" Marina said. "Some say they had a rare disease, or maybe their third eyes put curses on them."

"I don't remember the curses on them." I shook my head.

"Thei, tell me exactly how they died. Maybe I could help you with your problem." Marina said in a concerned tone. "Does it have something to do about the lady?" she asked.

"No," I lied.

"Thei, I know you are lying."

I sighed. I have to tell her the truth. "Okay, it has something to do with the lady. Drei was the lady's main target because she knew she has a strong third eye, so she'll assassinate Ryu next." I explained.

"Okay, go on."

"The lady who goes by the name of Sydney decides to take control of Ryu after she realized that Ami's was a frail body. She chose Ryu because of his strong and aggression. He stabbed Drei to death inside the bathroom, not even knowing what he was doing. When the spirit was driven out of him, that's when he just realized that he just killed Drei. He broke into rage and murdered Sydney, but she managed to escape and to return someday."  
Marina nodded. "Go on…"

"That's all I know. When we found them, Ryu's body didn't bear any single scratch!"

"Okay," she nodded. "Let's ask Ami about it."

We motioned for Ami to come over at us. Marina confessed to us that she too has a third eye like we do. Ami told us how she saw Ryu's soul telling us about the lady and how he made out with Ayame to be his girlfriend. She told her about the time flower Drei gave us that enabled us to see the past and the happenings in heaven. Marina was in a critical thinking.

"About what time should I visit your dorm?" she asked.

"Anytime," Ami replied.

"Great, I'm free all day, anyways."


	6. Chapter 6: The Story

I opened the door and Marina was in our doorstep. She told us earlier that she'll be arriving in the dorm by eight in the evening and she arrived early. It was seven thirty and the others were huddled around the living room just to wait for her. I let her in and she found a spot next to Rein. He was being a stupid jackass again… drinking a tall glass of vodka… again.

Ayame was getting irritated with him now, same as me. She dragged the glass away from him when he was about to get another drink.

"That's enough, you'll only get us into trouble," she confronted him.

"Show me the place where those two died," Marina ordered.

"Follow me," I replied as we both went up to our room and opened the bathroom door. The floor was still filled with few dried blood. Rein didn't mop the floor again. He usually gets the bad case of amnesia every time he drinks a lot of vodka, just to get drunk.

But the dried blood gave Marina a clue. She saw the knife on the sink. It was stained with dried blood. We didn't wash it, anyway.

After few minutes of searching for clues, Marina decided if we should go down the living room because she has a lot of things to tell us about. She sat on the spot next to the jackass as we all huddled around her to listen to the story she's about to tell. She took a deep breath.

"Hurry up!" Toshi said impatiently.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," she said. "Ryu and Drei died because… ehem… the lady took possession of Ryu." She began. "While he was in her grasp, he killed Drei and you don't know exactly how Ryu died."

We all nodded in agreement.

"Ami told me earlier you've unlocked the mystery about the lady's story."

We nodded again while staring intensely at her.

"I know the lady died when a group of bandits arrived at her home and shot her to death with her two kids, and she haunts us in our dreams telling us to leave her house, which was the place where we are now otherwise she'll torture us to death." Janize explained.

Marina had the shocked expression on her face. I hope Janize told her the right story or she'll get us into trouble.

"Those stupid authors…" Marina muttered in her frustrated tone. "What are you talking about? She wasn't killed by the bandits with her kids! That story from the book is completely not true!" she said. "Where did you get it, anyway?" she asked.

"From the books of the school library," Thei replied. "Drei and I were reading books about supernatural stuff."

"That's what the author knows," Marina replied sternly. "But that's not the true story." She shook her head.

"Okay, Miss Smarty Pants, if you know the story, tell us." Rein demanded.

"As you know, I am the only one who knows the story. That lady used to haunt me in my dreams several months ago when she gave up. I asked her why, and she told me the story…" Marina explained. "When I found out that those two friends of yours were already dead, I found a solution to contact with their spirits."

"Spirit of the glass?" Toshi and Thei asked in unison.

"No," she shook her head. "My third eye sensed them lurking on earth. You know after a person dies, he can still stay on earth for forty days. I approached them as I talked to them. I told them the story and they said they already know."

"Tell us the story already!" Rein growled. Ayame slapped him by the side of his head. Sheesh, I hate it when he demands stuff…

Marina sighed. "Back at the seventeenth century, there were two identical twins, Sydney and Celine. Celine is a very snobbish girl. She spends her time talking to her friends and criticizing people. She brags all the stuff she has until someone envies her while Sydney is a very responsible girl and smart. She spends her time studying her lessons and she gets high grades in school for she performs well. You're wondering that they looked a little like Ayame. Celine had a huge crush on this cute guy and she plans to date him someday. But when she found out that the guy likes Sydney more, she became jealous. She accuses her twin sister from stealing her boyfriend and they became mad at each other. Ten years later, Celine soon found out that the guy she likes from a very long time was married to her sister and they had two kids, making her even more jealous."

"Whoa…" Rein awed.

"Celine arrived in Sydney's home while her husband went far away to work, so she's left with the two kids. The twins had an argument until they broke into a massive catfight. Celine stabbed Sydney several times and Sydney lost a lot of blood. Next, she pulled Sydney towards the bathroom by the hair until her scalp bled tremendously. She then slammed her head multiple times on the bath tub, splitting her skull wide open and blood was splattered all over the bathroom. Celine then proceeded inside the kids' room and killed them. She placed the three dead bodies altogether inside a sack and buried them underground, before she did, she spilled kerosene all over the sack and threw a torch of burnt newspaper at it, burning them into ashes. Burnt flesh made her gag as she left."

I could see Toshi thinking about something.

"H-hey… that was the same thing I saw in my dream!" he blurted out.

We all looked at him in surprised.

"You did?" Janize asked.

Toshi nodded. "Yes,"

"So if you saw a lady lurking nearby and she looked like Ayame, that's the sign that she's after Ayame, whom she had mistaken as her twin sister, Celine." Marina finished.

Ayame was shivering in fear. "If only Ryu is alive…" she said to herself.

"He'll always pay us a visit and watch over you to see if you're okay," I patted her at the back to comfort her.

"I know," she gave me a sad smile. "I miss him so badly."

"Did Ryu's soul ever enter your room at night?" Marina asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "He usually arrives during midnight."

"Are you serious?" Toshi asked hesitantly.

"Duh," I winced. "You heard me."

I felt the cold gust of the wind brush against my cheeks. It was then I saw the same lady sitting beside Ayame! My eyes widened as Thei shook me violently.

"What's gotten into you, Ami?" Marina asked.

"I-I-I… I saw her…" I replied weakly.

"Where? Where?" Ayame turned her head sideways.

"…She was right beside you," I replied. She let out a squeak and hid behind Rein. She was still shivering as she muttered Ryu's name again.

"I saw it, too." Marina said. She wasn't scared because she knew what's gonna happen next. "I hope your third eyes are open."

"Mine is," I said.

"Ayame has a very sensitive third eye," Thei explained.

I didn't see the lady again. Marina must have scared her away. But my eyes caught Drei's soul…

H-huh?

I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw Drei, she was staring at us. I stood up and went towards the direction where she was.

"Hey, it's Drei!" Janize shouted in delight.

The spirit of Drei ran off as she disappeared in the darkness. I followed her and saw her hiding on the bed where she used to sleep.

"Drei…" I called her name softly as I took soft steps towards her. "It's Janize… we had a visitor who wants to know more about you…" I explained to her.

"W-who?" she asked.

"Marina…" I replied. I motioned her to follow me in the living room.

"Drei, boy I'm so glad to see you," Toshi shouted in delight.

"Hi guys…" she waved at us shyly.

"What are you doing here? Why didn't you bring Ryu with you?" Ayame asked hesitantly. She was really expecting to see Ryu to enlighten her mood.

"He's outside… waiting for you," Drei whispered on her ear.

A weak smile spread across her face as she clasped her hands. She ran outside and I heard her shout Ryu's name.

"You must be Marina," Drei said, staring at Marina.

"Right," she nodded. "You stayed in heaven to watch over us?"

"Mm-hmm…"

"Do you know a solution to get rid of Sydney?" I asked.

"She won't stop unless she sees Ayame," Drei replied. "Of course, Ryu and I will be the ones protecting her in case Sydney tries to kill her. Ayame has to explain that she's not Celine, and we could all live in peace." She explained.

"This could be harder than I thought." Thei muttered. "Sydney will only show up if we're outta here and leave Ayame alone. It's really fortunate that she can't see Ryu and Drei's souls following her."

"The heaven goddess must be the one protecting them." Janize said.

"Oh I gotta go, the heaven goddess is calling us," Drei said as she ran outside to fetch Ryu. I ran after her and I saw Ryu and Ayame talking at each other eye-to-eye. I could see the tears rolling down her eyes.

"I miss you so much, Ryu… if only you're alive," Ayame said between sobs. Drei and I kept our distances so we could give them privacy.

"It's just the way things are, Ayame." Ryu replied.

One thing flashed in my mind was telling me that someday there'll be such thing as reincarnation so Ayame would have her chance for Ryu to vow eternal love for them, and we could all live happy with them, including Drei.

We watched them kiss. Drei and I broke out into silent giggles so they won't hear. I'm glad Thei wasn't with us otherwise she'll take out her phone and record a video of it. She can be really scandalous sometimes, and she uses them as black mail to her enemies.

"I bet he wants her to be his future wife," I giggled.

Drei hushed at me to shut up. Ryu and Ayame were back from their "romantic" talk. Few minutes later, Ryu motioned Drei to come. I stood my pace beside Ayame as we watched them disappear like vapor. I remembered the time flower she gave us so we could contact with them.

"Let's go inside before we'll catch a cold," Ayame suggested as we ran in the dorm. I forgot that it was snowy season today.

Janize and I prepared cups of hot cocoa for all as we feasted on the snacks and the hot cocoa we've been dying to eat and drink. I was glad that Rein not asking for a champagne. If he did, Toshi will suggest for another shots and the four idiots – Janize (no wonder why she's on the 'Idiots' list), Thei (of course she is!), Toshi (dumb perverted ass), and Rein (the one and only stupid and pissed off dirtbag and a perverted jackass or a donkey, haha I didn't have to say a mouthful).

"We should do another-" Janize shouted in delight when Ayame slapped her hand on her lips to shut up. I knew she would make us go wild because of her favorite activity and it is pretty obvious what it is.

"…shots?" Marina finished her sentence. "Janize, aren't you too young to do that? You should not do that often and you should learn to respect your body and your health. Who knows it can give damage to your liver." She said.

"You'll probably learn your lesson to that," Ayame shot Janize a dirty look.

**UPDATED: 04/03/10**


	7. Chapter 7: Unexpected

It was when the school bell rang. Students ran out of their classrooms, carrying their bags and books with them. I turned my head back to see if there are still students inside our classroom. I only saw few people about to leave and some were cleaning the room before they'll leave. I hurriedly ran downstairs so I could catch the school bus before it leaves. I heard it honking and waiting for students to hop in. I ran as fast as I could as I hopped inside. I found a vacant seat next to a girl. I didn't even realize that my books fell on her lap.

"Sorry," I said weakly and picked them up. As I stood up with the books in my arms, I was terrified out of my mind that it was the demonic girl staring furiously at me with bloodshot eyes! I was wondering why she wears such an old, ragged dress. I felt my legs shaking as shivers ran down my spine. I couldn't even utter a word. The demon extended her clawed hand at me. My heart started to pound hysterically.

"Hey!"

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Janize calling my name. She shook me violently and dragged me to a seat next to hers. I looked back at the seat, the lady disappeared. I sighed in relief. I stared at the aisle beside me and saw a female little toddler approaching me. Oh, it was my little sister, Setsuna. Her hair was braided into two ponytails. Our nanny was taking care of her. But since I moved to the dorm this year, she was left alone with the nanny.

"_Ate!_" she gleefully ran towards me and hugged me. "I'm so happy to see you!" she squealed. I hugged her back. I really missed my cute little sister. It's been a year since I've been away from her.

"I miss you, _ate_!" she giggled while staring at my sapphire-blue eyes. Her eyes looked shiny. But one thing freaked me out – when I saw my tiny reflection from her eyes, I thought it was an ordinary reflection of mine, but what I saw that my reflection was upside-down. She felt my hands shivering.

"What's wrong _ate_?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"Oh nothing," I shook my head to sweep my fears off. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Our nanny brought me here so I could study. I am so happy that I could be with you!"

"Ooh, who's that cute little angel you have there?" Janize asked, smiling at Setsuna.

"This is my little sister, Setsuna." I replied. "Setsuna, this is my friend, Janize." I introduced her as she waved hello. I let her sit on Janize's lap as I turned my gaze on the lady again. She was sitting there, looking furiously at me. That was when I realized that I am her target.

"_You… will… DIE…!"_

I bit my lip hard as I squeezed my eyes shut. _Open your eyes… this is just another damn nightmare… _but to no avail…

Later, Setsuna said our nanny was forced to leave because she was supposed to migrate after two years but her VISA was not approved so she has to go back to her hometown to get it approved. I was sad, very sad to hear the bad news and I am forced to leave the dorm and stay with her before Mom hires a new maid.

As soon as I got home, someone opened the door for us. She didn't even say a word as she turned her back at us to get to work. I saw the color of her hair. It was long, dark and glossy. She was wearing a purple flower barrette. She wore a turquoise blouse and khaki pedal shorts. She also wore a white pair of doll shoes with tiny ribbons at each pair. She didn't even try to look at me.

"Oh so you're the new maid, huh?" I said, but still she didn't say anything.

"I think she's upset," Setsuna muttered. That was when the maid let out a sigh.

"Go to your rooms…" she said weakly. "I have to do something…" What?

I let my little sister run gleefully inside her room and close the door in behind her. I took a glimpse at the maid walking towards the kitchen. I stepped inside my room and closed the door slightly so I could take a little peek.

She was drinking a glass of water and she took a face towel as she wiped off the water from her lips. My eyes widened when they met her face.

Oh my God…

I noticed that her skin was not flesh. It made me wonder if she's wearing a costume. It was light grey and had stitches on some parts of her body. The color of her eyes looked familiar and her dark glossy hair. She wore a pendant with a shape of a dark red heart. I slammed the door shut and pressed my back against the door. My heart was pounding so wild that I could hardly breathe. D-did I just saw something… or someone..?!

I buried my face in my hands and shook my head. "I wasn't expecting this to happen…" I cried. "If s-she w-was here… why is _he _not here?" I said to myself.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard someone knock on my door. I took a deep breath and opened the door. It was the maid.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a concerned tone.

I wiped off my tears from my eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you're here on earth..?" I asked weakly.

"Look, I can explain…" the maid sighed. If you are wondering who she was, it was none other than my closest friend, Drei… "I later realized that you can't handle of getting rid of the demon without us. Your third eye is sensitive, Ayame. Ryu told me that you still can't control it."

"You mean it has a mind of its own?" I asked.

Drei shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. You are the demon's target and that's why she's following you everywhere. She killed Ryu and me because she knew we're the ones protecting you. The heaven goddess gave us another chance to live on earth again." I nodded as I listened to her story. She and Ryu were reborn and their souls were placed in some kind of human dolls like what Drei looks like today.

"So if you're here, where's Ryu?" I asked. Stupid me… asking my friend where my boyfriend is…

She had a funny look on her face. "Can't you get Ryu outta your head?" she asked.

"What? What's so bad about that?"

"I know you have a relationship with him but unfortunately, Ryu is lurking around…" she let out a sigh. "…just to look for you."

I let out a squeal that almost broke Drei's eardrums into shreds. She hushed me to shut up. "Stop screaming, the demon can hear you!" she warned. My smile faded.

"D-does that mean she's around here somewhere?" I asked, my voice quivering.

She nodded then she began to look around.

I heard someone knock on the door. I opened it and I saw our visitor. It was a lady with long glossy hair that ended up to her waist. She was wearing a light yellow nightgown. I saw the dark marks below her eyes.

"Oh hi…" I waved shyly. "What are you doing in this hour?" I asked.

"I'm hungry…" she replied.

"Hungry?" I repeated. "But you have food in your house!" I retorted. But the lady just stepped inside. Drei was looking at me with a skeptical look. The lady suddenly shot a glare at Drei, which almost freaked her out.

"So we meet again…" the lady said in a raspy voice.

"You…" Drei muttered, staring directly at her.

I walked towards Setsuna's room to check on her. She was asleep on her bed. She hugged a white little teddy bear with a heart-shaped pillow entitled: HUG ME! I gently closed the door so she won't wake up. I went back to my room where Drei and the lady were. I was terrified out of my mind when the lady changed her appearance. It was Sydney! Sydney, the female demon! She was trying to stab Drei with a dagger, but Drei dodged them. I lunged towards her to pull her away from her. But she hit me hard on the stomach using her elbow as I hit the floor. She shot me a look with her menacing eyes.

"So it's you, Celine…" she said.

Marina was right. Sydney was after me because she had mistaken me as her twin sister, Celine! Oh no, now what do I do?

"Drei, help," I screamed.

It was too late.

Two little kids grasped on her arms while she struggled. They held daggers on their hands so she would stop struggling. Drei let out a gulp as shivers ran down her spine.

Sydney sat on my stomach and grabbed on my throat firmly as I gasped for air. I could see the dagger on her other hand, its sharp tip pointing straight toward me.

"Say your prayers, sister…" she hissed.

I'm not Celine, I'm Ayame for crying out loud!

"Nnghh…" I struggled. "L-l-let g-g-go…"

I squeezed my eyes shut when the blade was pointed directly at me. I'm too young to die…

Just then, I heard Sydney screaming on top of her lungs. I opened my eyes and saw Drei stabbing the demon behind. The two little kids were crying miserably as blood dripped down on the floor. Drei gave them cuts on their hand, causing them to cry like babies. And now, she used a dagger to stab the demon at the back. Sydney pushed her away and stood up, holding her own dagger. Drei forcefully slapped her by the side of her head as she fell down on the floor. Unfortunately, she slit Drei's leg. I noticed that the blood wasn't dark red than I've expected. It was darker green. I've studied about green blood. It means discoloration of the blood in your veins. Is it because she is a "doll human" right now?

Drei let out a loud cry, dropped the dagger on her hand and clutched the cut on her leg. The green blood was starting to leak her shoes. I stood up and grabbed the demon by the hair. I slammed her head against the door knob, because it's made of metal, duh…

Blood was starting to drip on the floor from her head. But she doesn't seem to get hurt. She was enjoying it…

"Ayame, don't…" Drei was interrupted when she felt someone rush to her side.

"Damn it, I knew this would happen…" that "someone" said.

Sydney pushed me forcefully on the floor. Strands of bloody hair were on my hand.

"Well, what do we have here, the magnificent two have resurrected!" Sydney said with a sinister grin.

"Beat it, demon!" Drei growled.

"Listen, demon, the moment you killed Ayame I'm gonna tear you limb from limb." The person threatened. Wait a minute; I've recognized that voice…

"Who the hell is Ayame, anyways?" Sydney asked. "I arrived to murder my twin sister!" she growled, looking at my direction. Jeez…

"From the last time, I'm not Celine, I'm Ayame!" I yelled at her.

"Don't play dumb with me, Celine, after what you did to me and to my children?" Before I could say a word, she suddenly disappeared like dust. What a relief… I would have been dead if Ryu didn't arrive…

I stood up and a weak smile spread across my face. "Ryu, you're…"

Ryu nodded towards me. He also looked like a doll human, like Drei. I crawled towards him, didn't even mind if Drei calls me crazy. I rested my head on his chest as I felt his strong arms grasp my back.

"Well… I'm not taking risks." Drei smiled, followed by a shrug.

* * *

**UPDATED: 04/15/2010**

**I'm really, reeeeaaaaally sorry for the reeeeaaally late update, guys. **

**Ayame's PoV  
**


	8. Chapter 8: Visitors

I stared directly at the little kitten inside its cage. It was the little kitten Drei gave me two years ago. It really hurts when she died, along with her sibling. She named it Sapphire. The cat had white ears and paws and there was a small golden bell tied near the tip of her tail. She had dark black fur and those sapphire-blue eyes. I was adored by its tiny pink nose. She let out a soft "mee-uf-ow" and unchained the door. Sapphire leapt in my arms and scratched at her head. She purred and rubbed her head against my chest.

"This was the only thing that makes me remember you…" I said while caressing her.

_Two little girls giggled as they ran along the swing, the see-saw and the gym bars. They gleefully chased each other when the little girl with light pink hair and light green eyes tapped the other girl's back. The other girl had a dark long hair and sapphire-blue eyes. She wore her glasses. _

"_Tag! You're It!" the pink-haired girl giggled and ran._

"_Right behind ya, Ami!" the other girl laughed and ran after her best friend. They broke into loud giggles when they stumbled together on the dry sand. They helped each other get up._

"_Let's climb into that tree, Drei!" Ami said, her little fingers pointing at an oak tree. They giggled as they climbed up. Drei was the last to climb when she scraped her knee on a tree trunk. _

"_Ouch!" she yelped. She saw a tiny rosy circle at the center of her knee and there were dark red scratch marks beside it. "Oh no," she frowned, covering her wound with her little hand. _

"_Drei!" Ami cried and went towards her. "W-where's Ryu?" she asked hesitantly. "Is he gone?"_

"_N-no," Drei shook her head. "It's okay, I'm fine."_

"_No you're not okay," _

_That was when they saw a figure move from one of the tree branches. Ami poked her head to peek. She saw the color of the figure's eyes… emerald-green. He leapt down from the lower branch and approached the two girls._

"_Are you alright?" he asked. _

_Drei lifted her head up and saw Ryu, kneeling in front of he. He was an inch taller than Drei. _

"_You scraped your knee?" he asked._

"_Yeah…" Drei nodded as a tiny teardrop fell down her cheek. "It h-hurts…" she cried._

"_You have to be careful next time, sis," Ryu tended on her wound as Drei sniffed. Ami helped him out until the wound was dry. _

_Ryu helped her get up. But she can't walk. Ami helped her for support while Ryu led her back to the house._

"_So can we still play?" Ami asked._

"_Of course," Drei nodded. _

That was the day we first played… I can still remember it. I felt Sapphire's head rub my neck and I put her down on my bed. She curled herself into a ball when she purred. I watched Thei and Toshi bicker like cats and dogs, Rein and Janize picking on each other and Marina with her phone on her ear. I wonder who she calling…

"Ayame?" she asked. "Oh… she's there?" She narrowed her eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Mee-uf-ow…" Sapphire growled. I need to get her some food.

That was when I saw _her _again…

Her face was pale and her eyes were glowing red. She shed those bloody tears and her fingernails were long and brittle. She stepped with blood splattering sounds and extended her clawed fingers at me. I could feel her rough decayed hands squeeze my neck until her grip tightened as I gasped for air.

"Uhgnn…" I gasped.

I grabbed her arms while looking at me with her menacing eyes. I didn't realize that I broke her arms, revealing the dried up parts and the brittle and dead bones. I screamed and dropped them on the floor.

The lady let out a disgusting snarl. She has fangs… which made me very surprised…

I could hear Sapphire's growls. She wants food… now!

The broken arms were still grasped on my neck. But that was when the lady disappeared like dust, leaving a small pool of blood behind. The hands were gone. I sighed in relief and turned on the lights. I found her can of tuna inside the fridge and placed the contents on her bowl. I threw the can away and went back to the room.

"_I'll come back for you…"_

That raspy voice sent shivers down my spine. I gulped and twisted the knob open. I placed the bowl on the floor as Sapphire leapt down on the floor and ran cheerfully towards her food.

I heard Janize coughing.

"Frog in your throat?" Toshi asked.

"Y-yeah…" she nodded with a small cough.

It was getting late now. I could see the sliver glow of the moon outside the window. My eyes reflected on its light. I saw Sapphire asleep on the floor as I picked her up in my arms and placed her on her sleeping basket. She purred ands drifted off to sleep.

"Marina…" I called. Marina turned her head at me.

"What?"

"Who was that person?"

"It was Ayame… she told me she's alive," Who's alive? "Never mind, I'll tell you later. We don't wanna freak them out."

We waited for them to be asleep until I could hear Toshi and Rein's annoying snores. I was surprised Thei was still awake. She was giving us strange looks.

"Someone's alive?" she asked. Oh no… she heard us.

"Oh, nothing, Thei…" I smiled while shaking my palms. "We're just playing a little game…" Jeez, I sound like a total moron.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Thei asked. The look in her eyes looked stern and brittle.

"_I'm on your doorstep…"_

Doorstep…

Marina had the serious look on her face. "I'll get it," she got up and dashed to the door. I heard her open it. That was when I heard slow footsteps approaching.

"W-who was that?" I shivered.

"_Make them distracted, Marina…"_

"_I will…"_

It was a male voice.

I was going to check it out when Thei grabbed my wrist. "Ami, don't go in there!" she hissed. "It could be dangerous," she warned.

"B-but…"

"Sshh… listen…"

"_I brought someone with me…"_

"_Who..?"_

More footsteps…

"_Keep her hidden… until I tell you."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_She wants everyone to see her… and me."_

"_I will…"_

Marina entered back in the room and she slowly closed the door shut. Thei folded her arms, this time she looked very serious.

"Who was that?"

"Nothing,"

"I thought I heard you talking to someone… especially when it's a boy."

"I know it's a boy, he told me something."

"Like what?"

I sighed and stood between them. "If it is a secret, we'll find out tomorrow morning. We don't want fights, get it?"

"Shut up, Ami, I'm not finished!" Thei growled.

"Look," I said. "You heard me, it's a secret. We'll. Find. Out. Tomorrow."

"Don't treat me like a little girl, I need to know it!"

"I wasn't," I retorted. I tilted my head back and saw Marina with her hands on her hips. She was hiding something. Who was I supposed to stick with?

"_I think we should leave…"_

"_No, this was our home."_

Those voices… they looked familiar.

I fed up staring furious at Thei and hurriedly rushed to the door. Marina grabbed me by the wrist to stop me.

"Don't let me tell you again," she said sternly.

My hands were almost close to the door. That was when Toshi woke up. Oh crap.

"What the hell's going on?" he asked. He turned his direction towards the door. He walked towards it and opened it.

"Toshi, don't – !" Marina gasped.

His eyes were glued outside. His stare was like he was about to pass out. Marina let go of me as Thei rushed towards him.

"What's wrong, moron? Why can't you just…" Thei paused when she did the same thing. Crap again.

I sighed in annoyance and ran outside the door. "Alright, show yourself! I know you're out there," I demanded. "Come out or I'll…"

"You'll what?" I heard a voice.

I froze when I saw the figure. He was leaned against the wall with his arms folded. He faced sideways like a hot cutie who wants a girl's attention. I saw him open his eyes. Emerald-green…

Then another figure was behind him. It was a girl with long dark hair and wearing glasses. I recognized those glasses. They belonged to…

"You can come out now," I heard Marina behind me.

They revealed themselves as my eyes caught attention of the girl…

_D-D… Drei?! Ryu?!_ My mind gone berserk.


	9. Chapter 9: Betrayal

I couldn't believe my eyes…

It was them… they're alive…

Ami froze on the spot she was standing. Her light-green eyes started to create small tears. I felt I wanted to cry with her, but I don't really wanna sound like total cry-baby like Janize. She was asleep anyway. Marina and I almost had an argument earlier when that Ami got in the way and she treats me like a moron. The girl wearing glasses slowly pokes her head in the wall. The sparkle of her glasses made my eyes twitch. She came closer until she was clear enough to recognize her. It was our very own Drei. Yeah, she is alive. But one thing surprised me.

Her skin was light gray and had stitches on some other parts of her body. I saw a small stitch mark below her left eye. She was still wearing her casual attire – fuchsia-colored shirt with white floral prints covered by her white vest. She wore a green skirt with light yellow streaks below. She had a light pink belt with a silver and sparkling star buckle. She wore black tights and black-and-lavender (with white streaks and a dark purple band at the center) tennis shoes. She rarely wears a pair of white transparent fingerless gloves. She only wears them if she wanted to.

I saw a bandage on her left leg. I noticed that the stains were green instead of red. Green blood, I've studied that before. It means some kind of a discoloration of the blood in your veins.

"B-but how..?" Ami's voice was quivering from total shock and fear.

"It's like I saw a robot," Toshi said. Moron…

"It's all in the state of reincarnation," another male voice said. I knew that voice. It was Ryu. He was leaning sideways against the wall with his arms folded. He stared at me with his piercing emerald-green eyes.

Ami lost her words. She stared at Drei's eyes. They turned pale blue. There was misery and sadness from the look of her eyes. Ami extended her hand to Drei's gray skin. But she quickly dragged it away and squeezed her eyes shut. She ran out of the door with tears on her eyes.

"She was scared," Ryu muttered.

"Mee-uf-ow…" I heard Sapphire, which was Drei's cat and now she gave it to Ami, walk outside and froze on her tracks. Her deep-blue cat eyes met Drei's. She knelt down and slowly extended her hand. "Sapphire…" she whispered.

Sapphire took steps back in total shock. She growled and let out a fierce hiss. Drei's smile faded as she watched her old pal ran away from her. She sighed and stood up. I grabbed the stupid feline in my arms as I heard Sapphire growl and struggle in my arms.

"Sapphire, behave!" I yelled and she calmed down. "You don't know her?!"

The cat hissed at Drei, as if she was a stranger. It's still the same Drei… her appearance has changed. She was still the old person I know. But there were a lot of changes in her. She was pale, quiet, miserable, and solitary. She stared at the direction where Ami ran off. She wanted to go outside.

"Going out?" I asked, holding the grumpy Sapphire in my arms.

"No," Drei replied.

"Let's go to sleep," Toshi suggested. "If Ami wants to stay outside, she can sleep there even if it's cold."

The two followed us. There was something the way Ryu looks and thinks about that Ami.

Drei was frustrated and stayed quiet.

"Sleep beside me, Drei." I told her. I don't want to sleep beside that annoying Toshi.

"What's wrong with Sapphire?" she asked.

"She got scared," I replied and placed Sapphire on her basket where she sleeps. She shot a glare at Drei.

"Ami and Sapphire don't seem to remember me anymore…" I heard Drei whisper. "Have they forgotten about me?"

"Of course not," I lied down on my bed and saved some space for her.

"Don't worry, Drei." Marina approached us. "Give them time."

"There was something wrong with them," Drei muttered in her cold and brittle voice. "Something against me…"

"Stick to the bright side, we are your friends,"

"Not anymore,"

"You can go to sleep now, Ami will go back in no time," I said stubbornly and forced Drei to lie down and sleep. I don't want issues about simple stuff.

"You're right, Drei, there was something wrong with your cat and Ami," Ryu muttered. "We can sense it."

"If there was something wrong with them… like what?" Marina asked.

No response.

Drei took off her glasses and placed it on the floor. I was worried that someone might step on it. I placed it on a nearby table.

"Okay… good night Thei…" Marina greeted me as she went to her bed to sleep with Rein.

* * *

They have turned off the lights and I was left alone under the cold sliver moon. I was scared… from what I saw. There was something wrong with me that made me run away in front of everyone. It's getting cold. I stood up and walked inside the house. It was dark when I got to the kitchen. I saw a figure standing beside the dining table. I saw the door opened. Someone decided to stay awake and go to the kitchen to eat. I'm so gonna kill Sapphire if she tries to eat all our food or cause a lot of chaos just to get a squeaky mouse running around the house.

I saw the figure move and I saw the glow of its glasses. I knew it was Drei. I saw her pale blue eyes leering at me. She was mad… after what I did.

"A-are you mad at me?" I asked weakly.

"I don't know if I should be mad at you or I should dump my trust from you."

"Look, Drei, I-I'm really sorry about what I did - "

"It's too late to apologize, Ami, Sapphire doesn't even know me anymore."

"You were her owner. You gave her to me and – "

"I don't care about Sapphire. She's yours now. You're her master now. I'm not jealous of you, Ami."

"But Drei I…"

"I'm sorry, Ami." She turned her back at me and tilted her head back. There was hatred and anger in her pale blue eyes. "My woman's intuition is telling me that I should break our vow."

I felt a sharp stab of pain in my chest. Our vow… about our "Best Friends Forever" promise, I lost my words as she stalked away towards the room. I felt my tears cascading down my cheeks. My best friend betrayed me… she has changed… she wasn't the old Drei anymore.

The new Drei has arised…

_The old Drei is dead. _Those words came into my mind. But that doesn't mean she's not my friend anymore. She's still in my heart.

I fought back my tears and went back to the room. I saw her glasses on the table. I picked it up and stared at it.

_Drei… _I thought, still fighting my tears back.

I hopped on the bed where Janize was sleeping. I heard her coughing again. I remembered what Toshi said earlier about that 'frog in your throat' thingy. Then the coughing got worse. She got up and rushed to the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her and I heard her puke her guts out.

Was she sick?

"Hey, sis," Toshi said. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Janize replied between coughs.

"Are you sick or something?"

"No… I guess I ate a lot of food,"

I glanced at Ryu, his arms were crossed. His eyes were closed. There was something in his expression.

"Janize is not sick…" he whispered to me. "It's the curse…"

I blinked my eyes when he said the C word. I felt that something's wrong… and Toshi has to know it!

I heard the bathroom door open and Janize wiped her mouth. Toshi saw there was a droplet of blood at the side of her lips. He entered inside and saw smudges of blood on the sink.

He burst into total shock.

"Blood…" he muttered. That was when Drei entered inside and saw the smudges. She bit her lip and she had this 'Ryu was right…' look.

"It's the curse…" she whispered.

"What curse?" Toshi asked hesitantly. "Something bad will happen to my sister?"

"Yes… it's the demon's curse…" she nodded. "We've sensed it…"

He intensely grabbed her by the shoulders. "Tell me this is a lie."

"It's not a lie, it's real."

He let go of her. "I hope this won't have anything to do with dying,"

Drei didn't say anything. I'll take that as a yes…


	10. Chapter 10: Humanity Returned?

I woke up from the ringing of my cell phone. I snatched it and heard it vibrating scandalously. I flipped it open and it was just an alarm during a Sunday dawn. The sun was about to rise. I got up from my bed and stared at Rein sleeping beside me. There was a string of drool oozing from his lips that grossed me out. I sighed and hopped off the bed. I tiptoed towards the closet. I opened it slowly so the others won't wake up from its squeaking. Sapphire was curled up next to Ami, who was talking in her sleep. I snagged my grey sweater and tucked it behind my back and placed my arms through its long sleeves. I slowly opened the door and closed it gently. It sounded silly sneaking out of the house while my friends are sleeping, especially the two undead siblings. (were they undead, anyway?)

I went out to the road and saw few vehicles wheeling along the roads. I could hear some of them honking their horns. Birds flew out of the tree branches as I started walking. I sighed and lifted up the hood of my sweater to cover my light-blue glossy hair that reached down my waist. I looked sideways if there was someone following me. I am glad no one is.

I sighed again and walked. I really liked walking, even though I am not in the mood, walking is the only thing that relaxes and soothes me. I just discovered that it was snowing. That must be why I could see the leaves falling down on the ground and the rain poured like a strong typhoon. A tiny snowflake fell down my palm.

"I should have known," I muttered.

I could see few people wearing gloves, caps, thick fur sweaters and boots walking past and ahead of me. Jeesh, I have to go back to the house. I can't believe I just spend twenty minutes walking around without even purchasing or looking at any latest trends and merchandises. I ran as fast as I could and slammed the door shut behind me. I shivered due to the cold. I took off my sweater and threw it on a chair. I saw Ami carrying Sapphire in her arms.

"Marina, where have you been?" she asked as the cat let out a low growl.

"I just went out for a walk…" I rubbed my head, smiling sheepishly.

"We've been worried about you, Marina." Ami put Sapphire down on a table. "You should have told us before you left."

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "I'm just not in the mood…" I walked past Ami and saw a spiral staircase leading towards a room. Drei and the others have entered inside it before. I took steps on the stairs until I reached my destination. The place was covered with cobwebs and tiny spiders crawled on my feet. I squeaked and stamped my feet on the floor. A small lizard crawled across the door as I twisted the door knob open until I heard it click. The door made a tiny creaking sound as I stepped inside. The room hadn't been used before. It belonged to a person or something. Drei once told me no one stays in this room because a ghost haunts it.

I coughed, using my hand to flutter the dust away. I explored the room while taking soft steps. I stepped on an old ragged teddy bear and I picked it up. The buttons served as its eyes were already popped out. I threw it on the floor and my eyes spotted a weird picture frame. I used my hand to wipe off the excess dirt, revealing a picture of a girl. She has no face. It was smudged.

_Splat… splat… splat…_

My gut was telling me someone was behind me. I heard those splattering footsteps. Shivers ran down my spine and controlled myself not to look behind.

_Splat… splat… splat…_

There it is again. This time it's getting closer. I forced myself to look back, but no one was there, except for a trail of bloody footprints.

I broke into a complete shock, placing my hands on my lips. _Splat… splat… splat…. _There it is… again. It looked close, very close.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" I demanded, clenching my fists.

"_I'm right behind you, sweetheart,"_

It was a female voice, a raspy one that made me even nervous. I looked around, from north, south, west and east. But still, there was no sign of her. I felt myself spinning around. The demon was playing tricks on me. I breathlessly pushed my back against the wall, breathing heavily. The moment that I blinked made me see a lady. She looked at me with her raging bloodshot eyes. She gave a seductive smile. Her hair was frizzy, and her white dress was ragged and covered in dirt. Her skin was as white as the full moon. Her feet were soaked in blood. Those blood-splattered footsteps came from her. She laughed sinisterly as she approached me. I felt her sharp fingernail trace its way down my cheek, creating a fresh scarlet wound. I let the blood drip down my face as the woman blew a small smoke through my nostrils. I noticed that it was black that it almost lulled me into a trance.

"Pretty soon, one of your friends will be gone forever…:" I heard her eerie and raspy voice.

"Marina!"

It was Ami shaking me violently. I opened my eyes and saw her light-green eyes looking down at me. Her pink curled pigtails swinging through the breeze coming from the window.

I slowly got up and rubbed my head. "Ugh… my head…" I groaned. I just realized that I collapsed on the floor for some reasons. Ami helped me get up and I almost lost my balance.

"Where's Drei?" I asked weakly, looking somewhat pissed or drunk.

Ami sighed gloomily. "She's in the bedroom…" she replied softly. There was something wrong in her accent. She doesn't sound cheerful today. She looked sad and down.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's just I…" Ami replied with a low sigh. She took one glimpse at me and turned her head back slowly. She walked out of the room as I followed her. I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently.

"Ami, tell me please," I hesitated.

Ami was gonna utter a reply when I saw Drei pass by. She gave me her cold and mysterious stare as her glasses gave out a seductive glow. She wasn't like that… that the old Drei I know. Wonder how she had changed into a cold and stone-hearted person.

"That's why," Ami replied weakly.

I let go of her as I watched Drei unsheathe a knife off its sheath and stared intensely at the blade as it glowed seductively. She used her finger to poke on the sharp tip. She slowly glided the blade through her right wrist as blood started to drip down her skin.

"I-I thought her blood is green," Ami's voice quivered. "It turned red again…"

"It's because I'm like an immortal now," Drei replied in her cold tone.

"Immortal?"

"Kinda," Drei shrugged. She placed the knife back on its sheath and stared at the fresh cut on her wrist. "It seems that I have my humanity back," she muttered. I saw dark aura engulf around her as her light gray and stitched skin transformed into human flesh. She gave us her kind stare.

"So you're a human again?" I asked.

"I don't know," Drei shook her head, her long dark hair swinging sideways. "I really don't know."

Ami sighed and approached her. "Of course you are, Drei." She smiled weakly. "Look," she lifted up her hand to see the cut on her wrist. "Your blood is red again. You're back being a human again. I hope we'll be friends again."

"Huh?"

I sighed and decided to go back to our room to check on the others. I opened the door gently to see Janize dashing towards the bathroom again. She puked her guts out and it made Toshi completely worried. Ryu was leaned against the wall, arms crossed. His head was bent down and his eyes closed in a cold expression. I compared him to Drei. His light-grey skin was still there, which scared me a little.

"Sooner or later, she's going to lose all the blood she has from all those puking," Toshi muttered, looking more worried.

It was then Janize let out a blood-curling scream. Toshi broke the door open and I followed. She was pressed against the wall and a woman was in front of her. It was the same woman I saw from the third room. She glared at us with bloodshot eyes and she shed bloody tears. She was choking Janize to death, but when Ryu arrived. The woman was stunned.

"You…" she snarled.

I knew the woman wanted to have her revenge on those two. She suddenly disappeared like dust and Janize fell on her knees, holding her neck.

"Are you alright?" I asked, helping her get up. I saw few droplets of blood on her lips.

"I'm fine," she replied and coughed again.

"You better keep an eye on her… the curse can't be lifted," Ryu walked out of the bathroom. "She's in grave danger… I'm afraid she will die soon."

"This is a lie!" Toshi growled. "First Drei… and now you..!"

I frowned at him and I glanced back to Janize. We altogether walked back to our beds.

"Ryu, I think I have my humanity back." Drei announced. "Sort of,"

"Sort of?" Thei repeated. "Duh, you're a human again. Take a look at yourself."

"I don't care if I'm a human, as long as I'm alive,"

"Ryu, how come you didn't change too?" Ami asked.

"It's not the right time," Ryu replied.

I heard my cell phone ringing again. I stared at the screen and saw Ayame's number on it. My phone vibrated and I answered it right away.

"M-Marina…" she was crying and I could hear her sobbing.

"What is it?" I asked hesitantly.

"S-she's gone…" Ayame replied between sobs.

"Who, who's gone?" I asked. There was something wrong.

"She's gone!" Ayame repeated, crying miserably. I don't know who this 'she' she was talking about… No, it's not Drei. She's right here with us. "I'm leaving this town… I wanna stay there. My aunt and my cousins are right here…"

"Ayame," I sighed. "Who's gone? Did someone die?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I'll come over so I could tell you." With this, she hung up.

Ryu bent his head and became more frustrated. "The demon killed one of her beloved ones…"

"Who was it?" Drei asked.

I agreed to wait for her outside. I've waited for few hours sitting on the bench nearby until I saw a figure walking. I kept my eyes glued on it as it drew closer. I saw the figure had brown hair with blonde highlights. I saw its blood-colored eyes as it drew even closer.

"Marina!"

I stood up from the bench to see it was Ayame walking towards me. She had the sad smile spread across her face. I could see a tiny teardrop at the left corner of her eye.

"Hey Ayame," I smiled. "Someone is waiting for you inside."

"I know," Ayame replied with a blush. We entered inside together. That was when I saw Ryu in his looking-cool pose and he was leaning against the wall again.


	11. Chapter 11: Making Out

**Ayame**

Marina led me inside the room where I saw Ryu leaned against the wall. I felt my cheeks turn red when his moss-green eyes met my blood-red eyes. I shook the blush off my cheeks as Marina left us to give us some privacy. She stepped inside the room where the others were. So which leaves us… all alone at a Sunday morning as I stood on the floor, facing my, er, boyfriend. I was scared to approach him.

"I heard from Marina one of your siblings died," he muttered, breaking the silence.

"Uh-huh…" I nodded slowly as my smile faded. "I want to tell it to everyone." I blurted out. I looked away from him when his expression turned into cold and brittle. Of course, he is sort of an undead immortal, just like what Drei told me earlier. Ami motioned us to come in. I hesitated to enter when I saw Drei looking different. She had human flesh and the same cold expression. I compared him to Ryu. He wasn't like a human like her. He was the same human-soul-inside-a-doll person. Janize clutched a towel and placed it on her lips, coughing. There were dried blood stains on it that caught my curiosity.

"Setsuna died," I blurted out. I was expecting everyone to break into gasps, but they didn't. They sat there, speechless. It really hurts when my little sister suddenly died the moment she fell asleep. I felt that my gut was telling me the demon had driven the soul out of her body. The only evidence was dark and deep scratches behind her back.

"There's weird stuff going on around here…" Ami announced. "Janize always pukes her guts out. She wasn't even sick. That was when Toshi found out she's been coughing out blood." Oh, that must be why Janize's towel was covered in blood.

"We realized quickly that the witch had something to do with it." Drei finished. My eyes almost twitched from the seductive glow of her glasses.

"But the good news is - Drei had her humanity back." Marina said.

"I told you, I am _not _a human." Drei retorted abruptly.

Thei sighed. "Don't let me repeat this again. Take a look at you!" she snarled. She stared at the fresh cut on her wrist that gave out a line of perfect scarlet.

"And don't let me repeat – I don't care if I'm a human, as long as I'm alive." Drei said sternly.

"Enough!" I yelled at them to stop. "Let me get this straight – Drei got her humanity back all of a sudden and she doesn't really believe you?" The moment I said this, I saw the anger on Drei's eyes. They turned red… bloody-red. "And what's with that cut on her wrist?" I asked.

Drei lifted her wrist up, showing the fresh cut. "Here it is," she said simply. "My blood is red again. It used to be green, which is weird for you."

"They are right, Drei, you're a human again." I smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes playfully and sighed in frustration. She doesn't like it when we mentioned that she's a human.

"The demon appeared in our bathroom and almost choked Janize to death." Marina blurted. I faced the pale Janize and replied with a simple nod. She can't speak right now, and I wonder why.

"I have a terrible feeling that one day, one of us will be gone _forever_." Drei announced. I shuddered that it would be me, since the demon was out to get me. That's when I knew she was playing curses with any of us until they die.

Suddenly, Ami was short of breath and collapsed on Drei's lap. She lifted her up in her arms and tapped her hand on chest. "She's still breathing," she said. We laid her down on her bed to she could get some rest.

* * *

**Drei**

I was pissed when Ayame blurted out that I am a human. But I didn't believe them. I was like an immortal, died and rose up from the dead with Ryu. It was really weird when my body turned into human flesh and Ami was telling me the same thing. I remembered earlier when I broke our "Best Friends Forever" oath. I didn't even know why I said this in front of her face, like I slapped her or something. Is it because I rose up from the dead and it took away all my old personalities and changed me into a cold and heartless person? The same thing made Ryu wonder.

I was left alone with Ami after she fell into a coma onto my lap. Everyone else left to go for a morning walk. I sat there on the bed. I spotted one of the books I used to read. I flipped its pages and read the first page. I could hardly remember the last time I read these books after I've slept for almost a year.

I was freaked out when I heard Ami shrieking her head off. She sat up straight on her bed with her hands burying her face. I rushed towards the kitchen and clutched a clean towel and a glass of water. Ami, one hand covering her face and the other hand reaching out for the glass, I gave it to her and she gulped it down. She placed the empty glass on a table and I handed her the towel. She was crying out so loud that I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Stop crying!" I shouted, and she stopped. She was having those hiccupping-sobs. She put her hand down and I jolted in surprise – her eyes were covered in blood and few droplets of bloody tears dripped down on the bed sheet. She was still sniffing.

"Drei… h-help me…" she moaned.

I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Ami, what happened?" I asked hesitantly. She used the towel to wipe away the tears as blood started staining the cloth.

"S-s-she was out t-to g-g-et me…" Ami replied between sobs.

Ah hell… first me… then Ayame… then Ami? Crap… this is bad, very bad.

Ami clung on my arm. "Drei please… help me." She pleaded and began to cry again. "She wants me dead, Drei… you and Ryu are the only ones who can stop her." She wrapped her arms around my waist and she cried on my shirt. Her tears went back to normal.

"What do those bloody tears mean?" I asked.

"I don't know, Drei," Ami shook her head. "It's like I've been cursed… like Janize." I remember. Janize was puking out a lot of blood on the sink, and it made Toshi worried. She pulled apart from me and slapped me.

She slapped me. Straight on the cheek, I wasn't surprised or angry. I sat there, cold and speechless.

"You shouldn't have arrived with Ryu!" she yelled while sobbing. "You gave Sapphire to me like nothing!"

"So what? I told you before, she's yours now. I don't care about Sapphire. She's just another street cat almost killed by those fucking canines," I said abruptly. "You know what? About that thing you did earlier, you take me as a stranger more than your stupid and obnoxious best friend. That's why I broke that stupid BFF 4EVER oath. You hurt my feelings, Ami." I sighed and glared at her. "You're right. I shouldn't have arrived here. We're only a burden to you, you know that?" Great, I've finally figured it out. "I'm not the same Drei you know," I closed my fist and pressed it against my chest. "My heart is as hard as stone and it's heavy like the love I've shown. We've came here just to check on you and we'll go back to our old paradise."

"Drei I…"

"Save it." I cut her off sharply. "I'm tired, really tired. I don't know what to do about you, and to everyone else. Janize is coughing out blood, Ayame's little sister died, you suddenly formed those bloody tears for some reason, and now you want me to help you?"

"You and Ryu are the only ones who can figure it out, Drei. Listen to your heart, Drei."

"I don't have a heart. Don't tell me you didn't hear me, my heart is a solid rock. I wanted to be free, and the witch killed me by taking possession of Ryu's body to stab me to death. You were wondering how he died. Well, the heaven goddess drove his soul out of his body, same as mine. We're both suffering from those demon issues."

Ami stood there, speechless. I turned my back on her when she suddenly grabbed my wrist.

"What is it this time?" I asked, my blood boiling from extreme anger and frustration.

"Please Drei, you don't have to go, I… I'm sorry," Ami said weakly. She was crying. This time she was begging me not to go.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. I gave in and handed her something. "Here, I was gonna give it to you," I said simply. She took it from me and she was staring at it.

"A teddy bear chain..?" Ami asked between sniffs.

"Yes, it will protect you from the demon's curses. But now it's too late." I went back to her bedside and stared down at my pendant. There was a shape of a dark-red heart chained at the center. The heaven goddess gave it to me to protect me from harm. I turned my head to see Ami looking at the teddy bear key chain. She placed it on the table.

"I don't need this key chain," she said simply. "It is _you _that I need, Drei." She suddenly crawled towards me and hugged me tightly. I lost my words as I felt her tears on my neck. She hugged me more tightly, and she cried again. "I've grieved over you for a year, Drei, you can't break our oath. You're my best friend remember?" she whispered in my ear. I controlled myself not to cry. But my eyes started to water and my hands crawled on her back, hugging her back.

"Yes, I remember…" I whispered back.

"So does that mean we're friends, I mean, best friends forever, again?"

"I don't know, Ami…" I didn't know what to say.

"Drei," Ami pulled apart from me. "I listened to your words. It made me realize that you're in terrible pain. Sapphire is nothing. She's just a cat."

"Just a cat," I repeated.

"I know," she sighed. "She's the reason why I can't stop remembering you. Forget about the thing I did to you in front of everyone. Now please, I just want you to be okay, just like everybody else."

I looked away. I felt myself blushing. I forced myself to have a good look on her.

She hugged me again. She wasn't crying anymore. I hugged her back and caressed her back to make her feeling more comfortable. I realized that I was being stupid in my entire life. Good thing it's only us in the room. Everyone else was off for a walk. I closed my eyes and rested my head on her shoulder.

"I love you, Drei…" she whispered on my ear once again.

* * *

**Okay, okay… this chappie almost got my nose bleeding. Which confirmed me that this chapter contained "YURI" (omg, I never made a chappie or a story containing "yuri" before! OMG! OMG! OMG!) Hope you enjoyed it guys.**

**Updated: May 19, 2010**


	12. Chapter 12: Not Intended To Do

**Ryu**

I closed my eyes and focused myself on something. I remember earlier about Drei… she got her humanity back but she doesn't believe it. I stared at my friends chasing each other around the field as I ran without being noticed. I was afraid Ayame might see me, and she'll follow me. I slowly pulled out a dagger as the blade glowed. I should do the same thing… this kind of being I am right now doesn't look right. I should be like Drei. Back when we were in the other worlds, she mentioned stuff about immortality. Now we are here, back to earth. We could feel each other's thoughts and feelings. She'd been in terrible pain. I killed her when I let the witch's soul take possession of my body, stabbed her deeply on the stomach, and let her heartbeat slow down until I couldn't hear a single beat. The heaven goddess appeared before us and drove our souls out of our bodies.

Everyone in school knows we are _dead_. Which means we can't go to school anymore, we'll scare the crap out of the student body.

Until this year, the goddess gave us another chance to live normal lives. She placed our souls into some kind of dolls, like what the others were saying.

I was snapped out of my inner babbling when I heard my name muttered behind me. I turned myself around and saw Ayame standing behind me, her chocolate-brown hair flying swiftly through the breeze and her blood-red eyes staring right at me.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I got some stuff to do," I replied without looking at her. I tightened the grip of the dagger. I hope she won't –

"What's that on your hand?" Ah hell… she turned her head where I was holding the dagger. I heard her let out a soft gasp. "You're not gonna – "

"I won't," I cut her off. "I don't look right with this type of being, I want to be like _her_," I slowly glided the blade on my wrist, which was the exact spot where Drei did to hers. Blood was slowly dripping down my skin. It was red… which means…

"You're a human!" Ayame blurted out.

I shot her a look to shut up. I felt dark aura around me as I clenched my fist. Ayame was behind me, watching me change back into a human. She was shedding tears of joy while blushing. I guess she was still thinking about the make-out scene we did earlier.

_Ryu, I have bad news… _I heard Drei's voice in my mind. I could feel her, and she could feel me. _You guys need to get in here immediately. Ami wants to see you. _Oh crap… I feel Ami's been cursed or something. I turned around to face Ayame. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her fingers ran on her forehead. She made painful sounds when her knees wiggled. I caught her in my arms before she would collapse almost into a coma. I carried her bridal style as we all hurried back inside.

I put Ayame down on her bed next to Ami's side. Drei was there, sitting on the bedside. Rein was eating a bag of chips. He clutched two chips on his fingers and lifted his head up, his mouth wide open. He popped them inside and chewed noisily.

"Still, the moron hasn't got manners," Drei rolled her eyes at him. Rein turned his head as her, chip crumbs fell down from his mouth.

"Now you look disgusting," Thei taunted.

Rein gulped down his chips. "I could spit 'em out of you don't want a facial scrub,"

I sighed in annoyance. I lifted my hand up to shut the hell up. "So Ami, you… called us here?" I asked.

Ami replied with a nod. "Yeah… first – "

"You had a make-out scene with Drei." Rein interrupted. Thei poked him by the elbow to shut up. "What? It's true, anyways."

Ami sneered at him and rolled her eyes playfully. "I don't know how this happened… but Drei saw me… shedding bloody tears. It's like I got a vision or something," she explained. I saw blood-tinged teardrops cascade down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and wept. I know Ayame gets the weird visions – she will suddenly scream out loud and cry.

"I think you had a nightmare, that's for sure." Drei snapped.

We turned our heads at Ami. She just replied with a slow nod. "Yes, I had a nightmare… and it was like a vision." She muttered. "It was… it was… I saw _her _attacking Ayame." That surprised me. I knew she was talking about the woman who almost killed Janize. "She was alone in this room… there was no one, not even any of us, is here. That was when the woman appeared and… killed her." She said between gulps.

I turned my gaze on Ayame. She wiped off her tears. She needs to be safe. Then I stared by the window to watch the snowflakes descending from the sky, even if it's a new day. I began to feel nervous. Things were going black here – Ami sheds bloody tears when she gets nightmare, Janize coughs out a lot of blood, Ayame is on grave danger who I have loved so much and Marina can sense a lot of stuff like ghosts of the past.

I felt Ayame's head lean against my chest. Thei suggested for a morning snack. Oh boy… she knows nothing but to eat, sleep, and of course, pick on the moron (you know who it is…) and there they go, they left me with Ayame alone. Drei gave me a brief smile and walked away, her arm linked on Ami's.

"What am I going to do, Ryu?" Ayame asked weakly. "Soon one of us will die…" she turned to face me and smiled weakly. "It's so unbelievable. You and Drei… rose up from the dead. I heard from you that you're some kind of immortals. You know, people who can't be killed and can be only banished away?"

"Yes, I know that." I said simply. I turned to face at her and we're gawking at each other now. "What Drei said is true. The heaven goddess drove our souls out of our bodies, even if it wasn't my time yet. I knew Drei would be disappointed whether she likes it or not."

"I don't want to die, Ryu… I don't want to lose my friends… and…" she sighed. "…you," she cried silently as tears fell down her cheeks. I didn't want to see her cry. I put my arm around her to make her comfortable.

I've always known Sydney, which turned out to be the demon since she first haunted us in our dreams. Marina told them the true story of her past… and how she mistaken Ayame as her twin sister. I knew Drei and I are the only ones to could make her banish back to hell. I looked down on the foot of the bed and heard dripping sounds. I looked under the bed. It turned out that blood was under the bed shaped into a cross. I lifted my head up. Crap, this is bad…

"Ayame, something's wrong," I said. "The mark is just under the bed."

She let out a loud gasp. "What! Y-you mean…"

"Yes, _she _had sensed you here. That mark shows the sign of Sydney."

"I knew something bad would happen, Ryu…"

Just then, I heard someone's gasps and struggles, followed up by furious grunts. I stood up and broke out of the room. I saw no one in the kitchen. I saw Drei leaned against the wall, and Sydney was there, choking her to death. My sister was struggling in pain, her hands gripped on the woman's rough and decayed wrists.

"Show me where Celine is!" Sydney demanded.

"I'm not gonna tell you where she is!" Drei retorted, gasping for breath.

I knew she was gonna kill her. I ran towards them and pushed Sydney away, causing her to stagger backwards. She glared at me with bloodshot eyes. I watched her take out small machine gun with a sharp arrow poked inside its mouth. I knew it was some kind of a dart that kids are not supposed to use that kind of toy.

Just then, Ami sprinted towards the witch and punched her on the face. "Don't even try to harm any of us!" she yelled. The witch fell on her back. Unfortunately, it made her pull the trigger and send the arrow flying.

_THUNK!_

"Aaagh!"

I turned my head towards the direction where I heard the grunt. Drei fell on her knees as blood spurted out of her lips. The arrow was shot straight to her chest. She gritted her teeth and grunted again. I was glad she's _not _gonna die. She was right. We were immortals, but I don't think I should tell her that. She bled bad… really bad, she clutched the arrow on her fingers, trying to pull it off but she ended up screaming in pain.

"No, Drei!" Ami shrieked.

The demon let out a sinister chuckle and laughed. She disappeared like dust. Ami and I rushed towards Drei. I lifted her up in her arms and sent Ami to call on the others. Drei's eyes were squeezed shut, writhing in pain. I avoided holding her chest from the back where the arrow was shot through her. I could see her front chest moving, which confirmed me that her heart (which was as hard as stone, same as mine. I knew it looked so impossible) was still beating. Good thing it didn't her circulatory organ. The sharp rear quill of the arrow was close to my lips. I heard footsteps as the others arrived and broke into loud gasps from complete horror and shock.

Janize broke into tears, same as Ami. Ayame rushed towards me and almost broke into tears. I put her down on her bed so she could sit up. Toshi sat up beside her.

"Good thing it didn't hit her directly to her heart." Thei said.

Marina rushed inside the bathroom and snatched a couple of towels. Ami was into tears. I was glad she wasn't shedding blood-tinged tears like what Drei told us before. I could hear her painful moans. Blood was smeared on her shirt that they covered it completely in blood. Damn, the bleeding became worse.

"Ryu, can't you do something quick?" Rein complained.

I sighed in annoyance. How I hated this moron!

"Should I take her shirt off?" Toshi asked. Drei shot him a glare. I heard her mutter a soft "pervert" from her lips.

"Yep, you should." I nodded simply.

The girls broke into surprised gasps, including Rein.

"What? There's no other choice. We have to yank that stupid arrow off her chest, even if her breasts are exposed!"

Thei placed her hand on her forehead. "Oh for Pete's sake..! Don't make such a fuss. Just do it!"

"Er, okay." Toshi shrugged and took off Drei's shirt. Janize fainted from extreme shock. Thei caught her and sighed in annoyance.

"Does that mean taking off her bra, too?" Marina asked.

"Uh-huh," I replied.

She, Ayame and Ami stared at me in complete shock like buckets of cold water were spilled on their faces. Drei just rolled her eyes. "Just do what he says," she sighed in frustration and Toshi did what he was told. Oh crud, I hope he won't get goo-goo-eyed on her breasts…

Marina placed a towel around her neck down her bare shoulders so they would cover her breasts. I could see the goofy smile on Toshi's face.

"So what are we gonna do next?" he asked.

"Oh well, yank the arrow off her chest," Thei replied before I could answer.

"What the fuck!" he growled. "You mean… Yank. It. Off. ?"

"You heard him. Don't be an idiot!"

I sat behind Drei and tightened the grip on the arrow's rear. Ami used a sharp knife to cut the arrow's sharp edges. I sighed and tightened the grip on the arrow's pole. "I'm sorry, sis, but this is gonna hurt like hell." I said and performed the first pull.

Drei cried out on pain. Ayame, Thei, Marina, Rein and the rest of them made icky sounds. Janize and Ayame covered their eyes with their hands and squealed "Ooh, I can't watch!" noises.

"Okay, that was brutal," Rein commented.

"Whatever, at least this is the first time to see Drei topless," Toshi smirked and chuckled. There he goes… sounding like a total maniac.

Drei smacked him on the forehead. "Pervert…"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. I did the second pull. Drei was writhing in pain. Ami broke into tears again, not wanting to see her in so-much terrible pain. She was helping me push while I pull.

"I wonder how long is it gonna take," Thei smirked. Oh no… not another one.

I was staring at Toshi. He had that _"Ooh, I wanted to touch those goody-goody breasts," _smirk. Ami smacked him.

"Being topless doesn't mean you have to stare at her like a complete maniac!" she yelled.

I did another pull while Ami pushed. I could still hear Drei's same painful growls. I knew how much it hurt her a lot. She was still bleeding. They've stained the bed right now and my pants and hers. Marina wiped her skin with the towel. Minutes have passed and the arrow was finally off her chest. I could see the dried blood through her skin. She panted breathlessly and collapsed.

"I'm glad it's over…" she muttered.

"She lost a lot of blood. She needs a bag o' blood so she won't die in a minute." Marina suggested. She snatched Drei's blood-stained shirt and bra and threw them on the laundry basket. "She also needs a bath, too."

"You're right." Thei nodded. She helped Drei walk towards the bathroom, not minding her bare chest. "I hope that pervert won't stare at your breasts any longer."

"Jeez, I didn't know my brother could be such a perverted freak." Janize chuckled.

"Yep, that's what he is right now." Ayame nodded.

"Hey, let's face it. I didn't mean to do all those total maniac stuff." Toshi smirked again.

"Oh don't be such a stupid liar. We know you've been a pervert ever since you were born." Marina taunted.

Toshi snorted and looked away.

Marina was right. She needs blood, even if she's an immortal. "Where could we get those bags of blood anyway?" I spoke so those four would stop babbling about porn stuff.

"I know they're from hospitals anyway. Maybe we could pretend Drei is a desperate victim from blood-loss so them doctors or nurses would give us few bags, that's for sure." Janize replied.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Marina shook her head.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know," Janize shrugged.

Oh crud…

* * *

**I wanna tell you guys that that arrow-yanking and that bleeding thingy? I got that idea from the book I read and I don't claim it to myself. (If some of you believe that I do, then you're wrong because I don't claim a lot of stuff that belong to other people as my own. I give 'em the extra credit anyway.) Well, hope you liked this chappie anyway. ._.**

**Updated: 05 ~ 23 ~ 10  
**


	13. Chapter 13: Caught

**Toshi**

I made icky noises as I watched Marina poked the needle on Drei's bare chest where the horrible-looking scar and the deep wound was being stitched to close it. Ryu was sitting beside me, arms crossed, while Ayame was next to him, clinging on his arm. Drei was making painful noises while her deep wound was being stitched.

"All done," Marina grinned and staggered a back step. She took a roll of bandage and wrapped it around Drei's stitched wound. She put her shirt and vest back on.

"Feeling better now?" I asked.

"Yeah," she nodded as she launched herself on her bed space next to mine. "Damn I lost a lot of blood… Janize was right. I need more blood… or else I'll die and will be gone… forever." She sighed deeply.

"B-but I thought you're an immortal!" Janize cried, her lips quivering. "You'll have eternal life and you're completely existed."

"I don't know if we are immortals… I know it's kinda confusing…" Drei sighed again. I stared at Ryu's direction. He turned his head away.

"I thought we really were… and my gut is telling me we are not," he said while clearing his throat. "Blood is the only thing that keeps us alive, if we lose 'em, well you know what happens next."

I wanted to react. Of course I don't want to lose my buddy, even Drei. I like her so much. Maybe if I could get the chance to confess my feelings to her, we'll be happy together. It hurts so much of losing her in my life.

"Where could we get those bags of blood Janize was talking about?" Rein asked.

"They're commonly from hospitals." Thei replied.

"But how could we get them? Do you guys have any idea?" Ami asked. She turned her gaze at Rein. "Maybe you should get a knife, slit the side of your neck a little slight, and let her suck your blood. That should do it." She grinned.

We stared at her in complete shock. Thei smacked her on the head. "Are you nuts?"

"Whoa, whoa, I wouldn't do that! It will freak Drei out and she'll turn into a freakish vampire." Rein snorted.

Drei rolled her eyes at him. She turned her gaze at Ryu. "So tomorrow's a school day. Are we gonna go with them and make sure no one will see us?"

"Oh Drei, are you crazy?" I gasped and had the tension of grabbing her by the shoulders. "You'll scare the students to death. I think we're not the only ones with those so-called supernatural powers like those third-eyes, visions and stuff."

"You're right," Marina nodded. "It would be worse if someone or somebody found out that you guys have risen from the dead and everybody will think you're zombies."

"But they look like plain humans," Ayame said.

"Everybody knows they are dead." I assured her.

"So how's it gonna be?" Thei said. "Sydney would get Ayame easily if we didn't bring them along. But the problem is – how can we hide them?"

Silence filled the air. I stared at Janize. I was glad she didn't cough out blood this day. Ami snapped her fingers to break the silence that filled the room.

"They could stay on the school basement. If janitors or any school staff were passing by, they could hide in there." She suggested.

"Not a bad idea… should we try?" Thei nodded and stared at us for our decision.

We exchanged glances at each other and smiled for agreement.

The next day, we arrived early to school. There were few students entering inside the school and we sneaked inside the school basement after looking out for school staff passing by. I noticed a guy standing on the corridor. His back leaned against the lockers and his arms crossed. He was staring abruptly at our direction. Drei was staring intensely at him as I paced myself with my back on her to hide her. But it was too late. The guy already saw her. Oh crap… we've been caught!

"Quick, it's quarter to seven!" Ami whispered, motioning us to hurry.

* * *

He sees the six teenagers enter inside the school basement. He crossed his arms and stares at them abruptly at the corner of his eye. He sees the girl… the same girl who died a year ago… with them. He felt himself tensing as he balled up his fists.

He wanted to follow them, but the guy who saw him kept him at bay. He stayed at his place he was standing, back leaned against the locker and arms still crossed.

"I knew something's not right…" he whispered. "I better put them on notice…"

* * *

I spent the entire subject period thinking about the two siblings in the basement. Good thing it's a recess so I sprinted out of the classroom and to the basement as quick as I could. I barged in the basement to search for them. I only found bloody footprints splattered on the floor. I ignored them even if I stepped on them. I followed until the trail led me on a dead end. Blood was splattered on the wall and nothing else. I heard footsteps behind me… bloody footsteps.

I spun around, but no one was there. I heard them again. It sounded close. I felt rough arms grab me by my back. I felt the figure's long dark and frizzy hair nest against my shoulders. A decayed hand with rotten fingernails but sharp caught my eyes holding a colorless fluid corked inside a small bottle. That was the same fluid Thei was talking about a year earlier. She still remembered it.

"Open wide…" a raspy voice whispered behind me. Her brittle fingers were pressed against my cheeks to force my mouth open. I couldn't control myself from its strong grasp. The mouth of the bottle was close to my lips as it was poured slowly inside when it was upended, forcing it inside. I coughed when the figure let go. The empty bottle fell on the floor, shattering it into pieces. The figure disappeared. I clutched my throat and coughed again. It tasted awful!

"Oh my God, Toshi, what happened?"

I felt smooth and soft hands touch mine. I lifted my head and saw Ami standing in front of me. She helped me get up.

"You should have told me you were here," I said.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so worried about Drei. That guy we saw earlier… he was looking at Drei. I know that guy, Toshi, he was the guy Drei used to hang out with since third grade and until now."

I felt jealousy rushing through my veins. That must be why he gave me that not-so-friendly stare when I hid Drei behind my back. He didn't freaked out nor scream.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"I don't know, they're gone," Ami broke into tears. She leaned onto my chest. My cheeks turned red and proceeded to hug her back, my hand on her waist while the other stroking her long and pink hair. I could hear her hiccupping sobs and she stopped crying.

"I hope you would understand, that guy was Rouko, he and Drei are close friends. It would be worse if he spilled the news about Ryu and Drei resurrected from the dead. I ran smack into him earlier before I got here." She explained, pulling apart from me.

"Did he ask about what we did earlier?"

"Sadly, yes," Oh crap…

"What did he say?"

"He got me cornered against the locker door. He told me we were hiding Drei. He'll be complaining when he sees you." Ami sighed deeply. "We'll all get in trouble if he sees Drei,"

"Bet that Rouko guy is looking for her right now," My blood boiled from extreme anger and jealously.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?"

We turned our heads to see Ryu in front of us. I was relieved that he was there.

"Where's Drei?" Ami asked, looking more worried.

"She was hiding from a guy," Ryu simply replied. I jolted in surprise.

"Must be that Rouko guy…" escaped from my lips.

"Exactly, it's really sad to say that he already knows we are reincarnated few days after we've awakened."

"Great, now what are we gonna do?" I hesitated to ask.

"We just have to wait for Drei to come back and tell us if Rouko's stalking her." Ryu replied.

* * *

**Drei**

I breathlessly found myself on the rooftop of the school. There were no places to hide, not even wooden blocks I could get behind at, or even get in. I sighed in frustration when I caught sight of him. He doesn't look tired and frustrated. He was just being simple, walking outside where I was. I felt tension around my body as I found a spot behind a wall. I sighed deeply and controlled myself to keep quiet and stay calm.

"I know you're out there," he said abruptly.

I clasped my hands together and whispered a prayer. A prayer so I can't be seen. I could hear his footsteps approaching towards the spot I'm at. He had sensed me. He heard me whispering and whimpering. I shouted in horror when I saw him facing me, the not-really friendly stare he gave me. He had found me. I wanted to run, but my fear held me back.

He walked towards me.

Don't just stand there! Run for your life!

I can't… it was too late.

I prepared to run, but he grabbed my wrist. I wish I brought a knife or a dagger so I could slit his arm so he would let go. He squeezed my wrist tight and pulled me towards him.

"Let go of me!" I struggled.

"Drei, you have to listen to me!" his grip grew tight. He turned me around so I could look at him. He grabbed me by the shoulders. "Don't you remember me?" he asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "Rouko…"

Rouko was my close friend for a long time. We ate lunch together, did our homework together and did a lot of stuff together before I made friends with Rein and the others. Since my third eye opened and became sensitive, I avoided him and shattered my heart into pieces. I don't want him to find out about my third eye. My soul grieved when I died… and awakened after an all-year sleep I had. I was still in his heart, and he remained in mine.

"I'm not afraid of you, Drei," Rouko said solemnly. "It hurts so badly when I heard about your death and you've resurrected. Nobody told me, neither those friends of yours did. And now you are here. You've returned to me. You made my heart whole again."

"Rouko, we've been a lot through. I don't know if I should be with you… I died, and I awakened. I had my humanity back but I'm still a girl in terrible pain and hard feelings towards a certain someone."

I didn't know what to say. Ryu can feel me and can sense where I am. I don't know what to tell him about Rouko. Of course, he'd been very close to me. But I don't know if I should tell him my –

"Drei," Rouko sighed. "I never thought I should say this. I…" he cleared his throat. I looked at him to meet his dark-brown eyes. He looked back solemnly.

"I love you,"

Those three words got my heart pounding wild. Suddenly I broke into tears. Rouko pulled me into a tight embrace and pulled me even closer. I could hear his slow and steady heartbeat from which I almost fell into a trance. I leaned my hands on his chest when he placed his finger on my chin and lifted my face up. I was forced to get a good look at him again.

"Do you really –"He cut me off my placing a finger on my lips.

"Yes," he replied before I could continue. "I remember all those days we've been together. I'm so glad that I have you. Every time I look at you, my heart was telling me that someday…"

"I'll be yours?"

"Yes, exactly," he nodded.

"Oh Rouko…" I smiled and leaned against his chest. "I… I don't know what to say…"

"So you're happy..?"

"Yah…"

He pulled away from me and paced himself an inch close to me. He bent until his face was close to mine. He closed his eyes and I did the same. He brushed his lips against mine, planting a tender kiss.

Just as when that damn bell rang…

He immediately apart me, startled from the bell. "Oh shit, recess is already over?"

I replied with a nod. "Well, we, I mean, you better get back to class," I smiled before he planted a kiss on my forehead and left. Curses, what am I gonna tell 'em?

* * *

**Updated : 06 - 2 - 10**


	14. Chapter 14: Mirror

We skipped a day in school. It was almost dark before we arrived home. Drei looks flushed and frustrated. I knew the reason why. She didn't mean to let that guy stalking her make out with her. She didn't want to accept his love. She wiped a tear off her eyes and sniffed.

"It's okay, Drei, everything will be okay," I comforted her by patting her on the back. She gave me a sad smile.

"Thanks, Jan," she said softly. I remember the old Drei, soft-spoken and tender. "I'm never going to school again. That guy would be **always **looking for me."

"It would be worse if he paid you a visit… right here," Ami said.

"Too bad you don't have those invisibility powers so he won't see you nor even sense you," Marina chuckled. Thei smacked her and shot her a glare.

"Be careful from your teasing, Marina…" Ayame hissed.

I sighed and glanced at my brother's direction. I noticed that he was coughing a little. I felt myself shuddering that he might cough out blood… like what I did few days ago. I asked him what's wrong.

"Frog in my throat," he lied.

"Was that disgusting mouth wash I smell?" Thei wrinkled her nose and made disgusting noises. "When will you ever brush your teeth?"

"Hey, I _always _brush my teeth, moron!" Toshi retorted.

I sighed again, despite those two fighting, as usual. Rein launched himself on his bed and tossed a chip inside his mouth. Ami grunted and snatched the bag of chips from him.

"You'll get the ants to turn this bed to an ant's bed," she spat.

I bent down on the floor where I found stacks of books on the lower portion of the closet. I extended my hand to pull out a book when my fingers brushed on something. I pulled it out and it turned out to be a mirror. I saw my reflection on it as I checked my face for those zits. I was lucky that I don't have those skin disorders.

"_I'm watching you…"_

A raspy voice whispered on my ear. I looked behind but all I could see were my friends minding their own businesses. I looked back to the mirror.

The image of my face crippled into a face of a girl.

One thing that surprised me was the girl looks a lot like Ayame. She turned her head and she exposed her pale white face and her bloody tears cascading down her bloodshot eyes. Her hair was frizzy until her pretty face became distorted, revealing her skull on the half of her decayed flesh.

"_I will… be watching you…"_

I blinked and her face was still there. I was hypnotized from her eyes.

"…_unless one of you dies…"_

I knew she was referring to Ayame. I managed to control myself and turned my head back. I was staring at Drei lying down on her bed space. She stared blankly at the ceiling when I found the same girl lying down next to her. Drei shuddered. I knew her third eye became even more powerful than last year. I glanced at Ryu's direction. His eyes have turned fiery red from moss-green. One thing that confused me was… it's either they are immortals… undead… or corpses brought back to life through necromancy.

"_Tell me where she is…"_

The raspy voice is starting to irritate me. What does she want from Ayame, anyways? I was going to look back to the mirror when Ayae knocked it off my hand. It fell on the floor as the glass crashed into tiny bits.

"Janize, don't look at that mirror!" she shrieked.

"Wha..?"

"That mirror belongs to Sydney. Every time a person stares at that mirror, her face will appear and the person will be her unexpected victim." Eep.

I stared on the mirror. Which means I …

"Too late," I heard Ryu mutter.

"I knew false consequences would happen when that hag is around!" Toshi growled.

"Ryu told me earlier there was a strange mark just under my bed," Ayame blurted out. We all looked at her in shock.

"Under your bed?" Drei sat straight up on bed in hesitation.

"Y-yeah…" Ayame replied with a slow nod.

"Hell!" Drei snarled. "We're in serious danger!"

"What?" Ami asked eagerly. "What is it?"

"That mark… it means she chose her victim. The victim will face an unexpected fate…" Drei blurted out.

Toshi's eyes widened in complete shock and stared at me. I felt sweat drops cascade down my head and my body tensing.

"Janize…" Ayame squeaked.

W-why would it be me..? This can't be happening….

"I'm sorry, Jan…" she squeaked again. "I'm afraid you're her victim,"

"Not unless you show yourself to the ghost," Thei chimed in.

"I don't think my brother's going to like that," Drei said softly. She stared at Ryu's moss-green eyes turning into scarlet orbs. That is the sign of his anger. She picked up the mirror even if the part of the glass was shattered into pieces. She could still see the girl's facial image on the broken part of the glass. Her eyes turned fiery red. She muttered a curse.

She motioned for Ayame to come over when she pulled out a needle.

"Drei, what are you – " I was interrupted when Drei held up her hand to shut up. I closed my mouth.

"Should I?" Drei asked.

Ryu already knows what she was going to do.

Ayame extended her hand and placed her forefinger on Drei's palm. She dug the sharp tip of the needle slowly through her skin. Tiny droplets of blood spurted out as she dug the needle deeper. She finally pulled it out and set Ayame's finger facedown. She squeezed hard as blood dripped on the glass.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Thei asked curiously.

"It's like Ayame is the reincarnation of Celine…" Marina mumbled.

"Uhm… not exactly," Ryu replied.

"So what's the blood for?" Rein asked.

Drei shushed at him. She squeezed Ayame's finger harder, until the broken glass was almost filled with droplets of blood. "That's enough,"

"_I've been expecting you, sister…"_

There it is again. This time, we all heard it in our own ears. Ayame tensed. A distorted figure behind her appeared. She dug her sharp and brittle fingernails around her neck. She gently closed her fist around her to choke her.

A shuriken appeared behind me as it cut Sydney's wrists. Blood dripped down on the floor as she hissed. The chopped hands fell down from Ayame's neck. I looked behind to see Ryu, his eyes turning even more reddish, glaring at the demon.

He was protecting Ayame.

"_You insolent fool! Stay out of this!"_

She became scarier. She pulled out a gun with an arrow attached on its mouth. This stunned us all. She was going to do the same thing she did to Drei.

"Don't –"

"_AGH!"_

Drei swooped behind her and stabbed the demon deeply on the chest. I was surprised that no blood came out. Sydney knocked Drei off her feet. She pulled the knife off her chest and gritted her ugly teeth.

"_You haven't seen the last of me..!"_

She disappeared like dust in front of our eyes. Two decayed and chopped hands were left standing on our feet.

"Guess we'll keep this as a souvenir," Rein grinned. Thei poked him by the elbow.

Just then, the hands melted into slimy fluids and evaporated all of a sudden.

"Well," Rein said. "That ends it."

"No," Drei shook her head. "She will return sometime…"

* * *

**I'm terribly sorry for the delay, guys. It took me a long time to think of an idea for the new chapter. This was ****Janize's PoV**** and I was going to change to another person when I realized that I haven't used her PoV for quite sometime. I hope you enjoyed it guys.**

**Updated: July 17, 2010**


	15. Chapter 15: Nightmare to Reality

My nightmare started like this.

I was sprawled facedown to the floor. I rubbed my eyes and found myself inside a room. There were cobwebs sticking on the walls, cabinets, closets, bed stands and windows. Dust was sprayed on my face. I flapped my hand to fan the dust away while covering my nose with the other hand. I found myself face-to-face to a door. I gently twisted the knob until I heard a click. The door slowly creaks open.

I found so-called evil twin – Sydney. She was the demon who had mistaken me as her twin sister who murdered her children and destroyed her life.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Sydney.

It was her twin that looked a lot like me – Celine.

I paced myself behind the door to watch the horrible scenario I was seeing before my eyes. The same story Marina and Toshi told us earlier flashed inside my head. But the scene was different.

Celine tightened the grip on her knife. I could see the cold grin on her face. Sydney was pinned against the wall. Blood streamed down her face, nose and lips. Celine must have given her those deadly punches and those stab wounds. The seductive glow of the blade sent chills down my spine.

_Why are you doing this to me? _Sydney said between sobs. Celine pressed her tightly against the wall.

_This is what you get from stealing what is not yours; _Celine marched towards her twin sister and slit her throat. Sydney let out a bloodcurdling scream as blood dripped down her neck. He fell on her knees and spitted out blood on the floor in all fours. Celine kicked her forcefully on the head, sending her motionless on the floor. Celine flicked her hair behind her shoulder and threw the knife like a dart _downwards _and the sharp tip of the blade stabbed through Sydney chest from behind.

I bit my lip and quaked. This horrible scene made my hairs stand on end. Tears ran down my eyes. I was afraid Sydney will do that murderous behavior to me. I have to wake up before it's too late.

I prepared myself to run for my life. I stumbled on the floor when I rolled down the staircase like a bouncing ball. I fell to the bottom until I fell on my back.

"Oh crap…" I cursed. My back strained.

I rubbed my head and looked behind. I saw Drei. Celine was there, holding the same knife on hand with its blade stained in blood. Drei staggered backwards. She wasn't supposed to be afraid. She must be a tough person like Thei! But Celine's red menacing eyes glared directly at her. She walked forward and grabbed her right wrist. Oh no… She is not gonna…

_It's sad to say, little girl, but you don't deserve to stay as a regular human like your friends, _Celine chuckled. _If only I could get my hands on to that boy. The boy you've claimed as your sibling._

_Of course, he is my brother! You can't revert us back to our – _Drei was interrupted when Celine pushed her hard against the wall. She muttered a curse.

_Oh yes I can. I have almost forgotten that you two little brats are undead, no? _Celine formed another cold smile. She placed the sharp blade onto the white of her skin.

_We are not undead, not even immortals either. _Drei replied grimly. She knocked the knife off her hand and it fell onto the floor with a _clank._

_You insolent child! _Celine closed her fist and pressed it firmly through Drei's chest. The girl let out a bloodcurdling yelp and grabbed Celine's arm. Blood streamed down her chest as Celine pressed harder. It took a few seconds of the torment until something was on the ghost's hand. A dark red substance making loud thumping sounds. Drei gasped in horror.

Celine had clutched her heart out of her chest.

But...that's impossible. I thought her heart was as cold as a real stone. I realized that her transformation of her human form must have also affected her vital organs.

Drei coughed out blood and fell on her knees. She clutched her chest as she stared at the pool of blood on her feet. I remembered what Ryu mentioned earlier: _"Blood is the only thing that keeps us alive. If we lost them, you'll know what will happen next…"_

She had lost huge amounts of blood.

Celine let out a cold chuckle and stared at the heart pumping out blood on her hand. She closed her fist around it until –

_PSIK!_

Her hand was stained in blood. She squished the heart like a water balloon. It was then she turned her direction toward me.

I jolted in surprise.

_Well, well… if it isn't my pretty Ayame girl…_ She grinned. _It's time you should meet the same fate…_

She raised her knife and pointed it to me. _Hyah!_

I sat upright on bed, heaving and panting. I stared at my friends sleeping peacefully on their beds, except for one person – Ryu. He was standing outside staring up at the stars. The sliver glow of the moon twinkled in his deep green eyes, making him almost demonic. The sight of him almost made me fall into a trance. My friends knew why.

I was irrevocably… _in love _with himever since.

I bet he already knows. My love syndrome or my love sickness on him must have worn him out. I don't think he was still feeling the same thing.

I wiped off a sweat. I stared at Ami, her light glossy pink hair brushed against my arm. She turned in her sleep and moaned. Suddenly, I felt thirsty.

I sneakily jumped out of bed to prevent myself from getting caught. No wonder why am I controlling myself from Ryu's deep green eyes that would suddenly turn red whenever he gets angry or he senses something unusual. Unfortunately, I stumbled onto the floor and… that absolutely caught his attention.

I gulped and pretended that I have misplaced my lip gloss somewhere under the bed where I found the mysterious mark. I saw him looking directly at me over his shoulder. I tried hard not to squeak or squeal like crazy. He'll probably think I'm staying out of bed just to follow him outside.

"What are you doing down there?"

It was Ami. She sleepily blinked at me. "It's two in the morning." She groaned. I sighed in relief. If it was Ryu, I might as well say nothing at all.

"I… uhh… misplaced my lip gloss somewhere!" I lied. "See?" I pretended to pry under the bed to search for a lip gloss when I don't really have one.

"I don't remember you owning a lip gloss," Ami curled her lips. "Typical girls don't wear lip gloss."

I wanted to splash a bucket of cold water on her face. Some typical girls wear lip gloss, but not deep-colored lip stick like what divas wear.

"I was thirsty." I admitted. I stood up and prepared myself to walk out of the room and –

"I suppose you are going into _that _room, aren't you?"

I froze. I looked behind to see it was _him_. He was already inside the room. I could see the cold expression on his face. He stood few feet away from me. I bit my lip and stared directly into his deep green eyes.

"No I won't…" I mumbled. I have just realized I was lying. He can detect lies surprisingly. I bet Drei can do that, too. But my gut was telling me she probably can't. "W-what are you doing staying up all night?" I asked to break the silence.

"Funny," he smirked. "I was gonna ask you the same thing."

I didn't say anything afterwards.

I gave in and sighed. "Yes, Ryu," I said. "I _am _going to that room. I just had this awful nightmare about Drei and Sydney strangled to death by Celine…" I blurted out, but not that loud. I didn't want to wake everyone else up.

His face darkened. "Who cares about her, anyway? She's useless."

I blinked in surprise. I bet that 'she' was referring to Drei.

"B-but why? She didn't do anything wrong,"

"She's been drawing the attention of the demon a lot lately ever since she transformed into a human like I did."

I turned my direction towards Drei curled up next to Thei. Her glasses were placed on a table. One thing surprised me: her skin wasn't flesh. It turned back from human flesh to grayish white color, just like how I first saw her arrive to the dorm.

She had reverted back to her doll-human form.

"N-no… it.. it can't be…" escaped from my lips, my voice quivering. I broke into silent tears.

"She's no human anymore…" Ryu muttered. He became even more upset. "I knew it. That nightmare came true."

"I-is she dead then..?"

"Apparently, she'll only stay alive for a couple of weeks before the shell of her body vanishes."

"You should do something about that!"

"No, Ayame, _you _are the one responsible for this. Celine's spirit is within you." Ryu's voice darkened and became sharp and serious.

"W-what does that mean?" I asked with no clue.

Ryu cleared his throat. He stared at deeply into my eyes.

"She is controlling you, Ayame." He said abruptly. "She is controlling you to kill us all… even me."

I felt a sharp stab of pain through my chest. I burst into tears. Unfortunately, this had awakened Drei from her nap. She had tears strolling down her cheeks. She nervously stared at her arms, hands, back and her legs.

"Ayame!" she shrieked. "You've done this?"

_He is right, Ayame. The spirit of Celine appeared in your dream and she made you bring Drei to grave danger. The mysterious mark is the sign of you and your friends' unexpected fates. _My inner voice told me.

I didn't know what to say. I would never do that to my friend. But Celine's cursed spirit…

"Curse that spirit," Ryu finally said. "I'm afraid you can only stay alive for a couple of weeks before you'll be gone forever,"

* * *

**That was a very late update guys. This story will be on hold for awhile. I'm starting to have the writer's block. I badly needed a lot of interesting ideas for new chapters! Anyways, hope you liked it. Please R&R.**

**Updated: August 5, 2010**


	16. Chapter 16: Mushy Moment

I leaned myself against the closed door. I don't know what happened to the others but Rein told me he and the other gang would go outside and enjoy those stargazing, except for the three of us who'll miss all the fun – Ryu, Drei and me. I pressed my lips together as I waited. I felt bad for Drei. I wasn't even expecting my nightmare to become reality like what just happened recently.

It was then the door suddenly creaked itself open when Ryu stepped outside. He was having this "talk" with Drei about her human flesh reverted back to doll skin, making her look like somewhat a zombie-like creature, only that she doesn't sleep in graves.

Anyway, I told Ryu earlier that I **was **going into that _room _where they used to trespass a year ago. They say there was a ghost haunting it so that must be the reason why they don't stay longer inside to investigate some more. I've been into that room once, where I contacted Ryu's spirit instead of the ghost out to get me.

"Shall we?" I asked to break the silence. He replied with a nod. He walked past me. His footsteps told me I should follow. We both climbed to the spiral staircase until I could see the door covered in cobwebs. The black widow spiders crawling to the corners of the ceiling gave me the shivers. Many say that their bite can be deadly to humans, especially to infants. Kinda reminds me of the bull ants, you know..? When they bite your skin, you will die after less than fifteen minutes.

But Ryu doesn't seem to get scared. Boys are tending to be brave and strong and never show their fears, just like what he is right now.

I stepped on my feet on the dusty floor. Dust filled the air and caused my nose to twitch. I covered my nose with my hand and used the other one to flap it like a fan. Unlike Ryu, he didn't mind the mess in the room. He was used to this place. He stared down at the small pool of dried blood, which had turned deep brown, splattered onto the floor. Janize once told me that was the exact spot where she had a dream about Drei strangled to death by the same demon about a year ago. I shuddered until I felt Ryu's hands grab me by the wrists and pin me against the wall.

I tried to catch my breath.

His face was inches close to mine. My cheeks grew furious red as I controlled myself from screaming out loud.

"_She _doesn't know we **are **together," he murmured. "The moment she sees us, she'll go berserk and will kill us all,"

I replied with a quick nod and placed a hand on my lips. Suddenly, I could hear those splattering footsteps nearby. Sydney must have followed us. Her footsteps approached closer until they stopped. I squeezed my eyes shut and whimpered. It was then I caught the figure of Sydney glaring at us with her bloodshot eyes. This time, her hateful glare was replaced with shock and fear. Her mouth flew open as she let out a bloodcurdling scream.

_Insolent fools! _She shrieked.

Ryu kept his eyes locked on her by looking over his shoulder. His deep-green eyes had turned into deep scarlet. Scarlet as blood – that was the sign of his anger or when he senses something unusual around, the demon stepped back and shot a hateful glare at him.

_You shouldn't be alive, child…._ She hissed as she disappeared like dust. I sighed in relief.

It was then Ryu faced me. My cheeks turned even redder than usual. I can't believe I had it wrong. I thought he didn't accept my feelings.

He was only trying to keep me from harm.

"W-what does that mean?" my voice quaked.

"She doesn't like people with strong third eyes messing around with her victims or so-called targets like you." He replied, his face close to mine. "You know what I mean?"

I nodded. "Yeah," Everyone knows him for his strong third eye. I wonder why Drei doesn't even get all the attention like he does.

"Ayame," he said. "I know you are scared. And I say you're kinda scared of me, aren't you?"

I shook my head rapidly. "N-no..!"

"You **are**," he said simply.

I tried not to cry. But he was right. I was also scared of him. His serious and "bad boy" swagger were the main stuff that make me avoid him. It turns out that he wasn't really a bad person at all.

"You think I was going to kill you?" he asked.

"No,"

"You know I'm never gonna do that to you, except for – "

I shot a glare at him. "Who..? Drei..?" I finished before he would continue.

At first, he was surprised. He sighed and stared at me. "Right…" he muttered. There he goes, showing his carelessness to a fifteen-year-old girl, which turns out to be his sister. He is sixteen. It has been a year since they resurrected from the dead through, what do you call that? Necromancy, right!

"So what are you going to do about it?" I asked.

"I'm not going to let you leave all the things up to her. She can't handle them all to herself."

"We can help her,"

"No, you can't. Horrible consequences may occur."

"Are you gonna let her die?"

"No,"

"Kill her?"

"No,"

"Then what is it?"

"I can't tell you, Ayame. You know it's against the law when you kill someone."

Yeah, right. To think that you've murdered Drei a year ago inside the bathroom by stabbing her to death and let her lose all the gallons of blood inside her body?

I heard those same splattering footsteps again. Sydney has returned.

"There she – "I was interrupted when Ryu suddenly pressed his lips against mine, pulling me into a kiss. My cheeks flushed. I felt my heart spinning as I leaned my hands on his shoulders and kissed him back. Sydney hissed. I shuddered from her raspy voice but Ryu's strength protected me.

_First, dating? And now, making out? _She hissed.

Ryu departed for a moment. "Why, you jealous?"

_I wouldn't do that if I were you. _She said in a raspy voice and disappeared again.

I panted and leaned my head on his chest in embarrassment. Really, that was embarrassing after Sydney caught us **kissing **right in front of her, and it pissed her a lot.

It was then I felt his hand lift my face up until I was staring up at him.

"There's nothing to be shy of," he said softly before leaning to kiss me again. This time, he gave me a tender kiss. Of course, I have to do the right thing – kiss him back. I leaned my hands on his chest when he pulled me close.

Just then, I heard footsteps. This time, there weren't the splattered ones that we heard twice. Fast footsteps approached as a flash of black and dark pink caught my vision.

There was Janize, staring at us in complete shock. Her lips grew into a huge grin and covered it with her hands.

"Oh…my…GOD!" her mouth flew open.

I shuddered and motioned her to shoo off. She giggled and walked back downstairs. Her almost long and silky hair streaked in dark pink highlights flew briskly behind her and bounced.

I bet she's going to spill the entire beans about that make-out thing. What would be the reaction of Drei when she hears it? Jealous? No.

Satisfied.

* * *

**Even though I am not that good at making mushy stuff, I will try my best to make it better. The updates will be discontinued shortly because I am suffering from writer's block (and art block) because I am also a member of DeviantArt. Hope you enjoyed it, guys~**

**Updated: August 21, 2010**


	17. Chapter 17: Road of Stars

**AN: **Waaaaahh~! Last update… AUGUST? oAo" (weeps loudly) Just read it anyway… -sniff-

* * *

**Chapter 17**

I never knew I could resist this feeling. This opportunity full of yearning lust… why did I fall for him..? It's like I've been tempted to give in. But what is this feeling? I can't tell. He's way too charming that I can't even resist. One thing that came from my mind was _her_… Her sudden apparition… I could smell a stench of jealousy and anger. I felt like I've been controlled by his presence.

I woke up under the cold eerie night. Ami and the others have gone back to sleep (Forget the fact that Janize saw us). I found myself alone. My long brown hair caressed my delicate skin and my blood-red eyes looking up at the empty space. I was lying down on this… dusty but an antique bed where –

No… it can't be…

Please don't let it be…

* * *

Shattered.

That's what I am right now.

My skin… reverted back to skins of an old rag doll. My soul is weakening. My stone heart sensed my doubts… and the humanity inside me is starting to fade.

I feel useless, a burden, and a fraud who failed to protect her friends from the harm caused by Sydney herself. All those times when she was out to get me and Ryu so we'll all die. But…

Something has changed.

I could feel Sydney's tears trickling down her bloody cheeks. Her bloodshot eyes were full of anger and hatred, but not towards me… but for someone. I could feel jealousy striking.

For someone like me, I've never sworn I could protect one's life from danger. It wasn't just my duty… it's also Ryu's, but how come he doesn't seem to do be doing it now?

I lied on my back on the bed and decided to go back to sleep. I stared up at the ceiling when I felt Sydney's presence coming right at me. My eyes fixed upon her bloody stare. Her eyes were full of concern and guilt instead of anger and hatred. Her dark brown hair flew briskly through the breeze as she offered her hand to me. I realized she wasn't the decayed hag I used to encounter during my days as a mortal. She was a translucent… and a charming lady. Her blood-red eyes gazing at me and motioning for me to come to her. I let my hand touch her soft skin as we soared upon the troposphere.

"We are here to the road of stars…" Sydney said. I found myself soaring in the galaxy where the stars flooded the entire night sky. There are stars twinkling before my very eyes. Sydney stood beneath them and stared at them in silence.

"Road of stars…" I whispered.

"This is the place where the past, the future, and the present lie within…" she said. "You will see the visual images from the past; child… the time where my false self has destroyed your lives and were sent to the purgatory… that is when the heaven goddess accepted your souls to heaven to rest in peace."

"Yes…" I nodded. "I was wrong making the decision to go back to earth… and I ended up mistreated moments later,"

Sydney nodded in understanding. "I see… my twin sister Celine has captured your friend – Ayame – and used her as a mortal host. I am very sad to inform you that she and… your brother gave each other their _dignities_ while they spent the rest of the night inside the room I used to sleep in,"

I felt a jolt of surprise. Ryu and Ayame had…

"B-but why..?" I asked. "He is too young to do that to her!"

"It's for the best for them, Drei…" Sydney said sadly. "Let them move on, let them learn how to step forward,"

I moaned sadly. "I guess I'd rather fend for myself… I'm on my own, definitely,"

Sydney turned to me. "I brought you here to make you regret all my murderous acts towards you and your friends. The truth is… Celine has used you first before Ayame. Your friend told you my life story. When I have sensed Ryu's change of heart towards you, I felt your brokenness and frustration. Ayame's nightmare destroyed your humanity."

"I wish I never went back to earth…" I repented. "I was a fraud… I thought things would be back to normal, but it only ended up cruel…" I felt a tiny teardrop at the corner of my eye. Sydney's finger brushed against my face, wiping the tear off my eye.

"There is no reason to cry, child… Ryu's indifference affected your feelings towards him. I have no other choice but to deliver the yet dreadful news…"

I looked up. "Dreadful..?"

Sydney sighed. "I'm afraid Celine has controlled Ayame right about now… you are wondering why she looks exactly as me. It is because she is the reincarnation of Celine herself…"

"I thought about that, too,"

"I'm glad you did." Sydney replied. "Her sudden feelings towards Ryu made them together – the feelings came from Ayame herself. As time goes by, Ryu will turn against her and slay her from the depths of agony." She gave me a sad, fearful stare. "You'll be his next victim afterward,"

I felt a sharp stab of shock through my chest. I figured out she was right. I once again stared at the galaxy of stars when Ryu's images caught my gaze. I saw his days as a mortal like me and how he managed to control himself from extreme anger. His piercing green eyes would turn scarlet whenever he senses something unusual and… when he gets angry and tempered. Red eyes are worse… but there is one thing worst of them all…

Too bad my power over that has banished… or has not?

"So does this mean I'll stay like this forever?" I showed Sydney the slash mark on my wrist where I transformed back into a human earlier.

"You will only do it once, child…" she said.

Whew… good thing!

"What can I do to stop this madness, Sydney?" I asked. "I-I don't know what to do… I… I am vulnerable… weak… and… **useless**!" I said in hesitation.

"You may accept my offer to help you with your situation…" Sydney told me. "You have to redeem yourself… that you no longer accept Ryu as your sibling… but your _enemy _as well…"

"Enemy…" I repeated, balling up my fists.

"The moment he reached his _highest point _may be brought to the disruption of your relationship as siblings… once the red thread has been cut into half, the relationship will be broken _forever_.

He is your enemy, Drei… your greatest enemy. He is no longer in his usual self but he has revealed his true self. Mark my words, child… this is the only way to end this madness,"

"He… is… my… enemy…" I repeated grimly. I stared at the stars grimly when the images of Ryu have caught my gaze once again. "My enemy…" I hissed.

"Do you take him as your sibling?"

"I don't think so," I shook my head. "He's more like a stranger to me,"

"Do you accept this offer?"

"Yes… my lady. I accept this offer…"

Sydney nodded. "Very well, child… We will fulfil this dream once and for all…" she said as she slowly led me back to my bed. I stared at her vanishing soul and she whispered her last words "… until we meet again…"

* * *

**AM: **Short but good ^^


	18. Chapter 18: Looking Back to the Past

**Chapter 18**

_You really don't deserve to live._

_You are another useless and pathetic obstacle._

_Come closer… I will drive your soul away from your rag body… and you will forever be gone._

_I've wanted to strike you for ages…_

Those inner voices urged me to do my one and only quest to strike her down. But I can't do it in front of my friends. Ami will go into hysterics; Janize will yell at me, Toshi will be mad at me forever. Marina, Rein and Thei will no longer trust me. I guess losing everyone is the only thing that'll clear your head. There's got to be something that'll make them… _leave_. Ayame is my greatest problem. She would go wherever I go. Damn. How can I do this? I can't let Drei leave with them. She has to be with me. I have a lot of things to deal with her before putting an end to this.

She'd been telling me lies… she told me she can handle things herself, but I realized she can't. Giving her so many chances and abusing them. Much to her shame, she never changed. There is nothing I can do about it. My last conversation with Ayame told me she has read my mind about my plan of striking Drei down and banishing her out of this world.

It was the greatest mistake we made. I should have got back to earth myself. Stupid… filth… and regret. No biggie… Drei has reverted to her rag doll form, which means she has only few days left before she departs… and I'm like… the imprint. She has forgotten we – a brother and a sister – are connected to each other's feelings for some reasons. I can sense her thoughts and her memories. I close my eyes and try my best to invade her head a bit.

…testing Drei's memories… picking up particles of her thoughts…

What?

It didn't work. It can't be…

It has to work. But how come I received nothing..?

I tried again but still… nothing! Shit.

It was a relief Ayame is asleep. (Yeah right… yeah yeah… we _did it_, okay?) I find myself staring up at the road of stars in the night sky. It was a dreary night, I say. But this miscommunication to Drei's thoughts bothered me. I mean, I would always read her mind… I never failed. Now I have to find out about this crappy situation.

I just have to –

Hold on.

Did I just saw a pair of red menacing eyes behind me?

Yeah seriously… now that's weird. Since the window to the room where Drei is sleeping is open, I could use a little peak. I looked through the window and to my surprise; she was just a lifeless rag doll lying on the bed. Oh damn. I knew it. I forced myself inside the room and storm towards her, pulling her on the hair and found droplets of green blood dripping from the back of her head. The blood's source came from the small cut at the back of her head. She must have used a dagger to slit her head open… but I don't see one anywhere…

My fingers touched something sharp. I held it in my free hand when I saw it was a broken piece of a shattered mirror. I've remembered this… the piece of glass Sydney used to choose her victims.

_Touch the glass and look through the past…_

I did what that eerie voice told me to as an illusion of a scenario appeared before me. There I was… watching the galaxy of stars. There I saw two figures floating in midair and watching them, too. One of them was Drei… her long dark hair floating on air and her pale blue eyes staring over at the stars. The other person at her side is a person I didn't know… but she looked familiar. The colour of her hair looked similar as Ayame's… and she wore a white dress that fit her beautifully.

"_This is the galaxy of the stars where the past, present and the future lie within…"_

I've remembered that voice. It sounded like…

"_You will see the pasts with the road of stars guide you. They portray the past events and reveal the future of many people moving on and taking steps forward…"_

Ah, Sydney. I should have known.

"_In this world, you can see the dreadful immoral acts of Ryu. I regret about my false self for destroying your lives when I was after my twin sister Celine…"_

What? Immoral… what does she mean by that?

"_You see… Ayame has been used as Celine's mortal host _after _you… She chooses her victims she wanted to kill… making me the prime suspect of all things. I was after you and your brother a year ago because Celine has controlled you both. I am afraid she'll be attached to dear Ayame from now on… for she is the reincarnate of Celine herself…"_

I watched them in silence as Sydney continued her speech.

"_I can sense your brokenness and your sorrow, Drei you have reached the ultimate level. You and Ryu made the decision to be humans again and regain your humanities back. Then suddenly you have been abused. Ayame abused your humanity… Ryu abused his own humanity. You have reverted back to your filthy and rag doll self because of Ayame. Yes, that is true."_

"_It was her nightmare that abused my humanity," _Drei managed to speak. _"And then… Ryu seems to be turning against me… for a long time ever since the day I was your target. I was always the fault of everything… the burden of them all and noted to be a person who tells lies personally. That is true. It was good that Ryu lost his trust on me so I could bear on my own without his help." _She sighed. _"I really don't need him anymore. He has Ayame. He has moved on. I was proud of them two that he has expressed himself. But one thing I concern about him was his true self. He is not really a kind-hearted lad… but a lad with a heart as stone."_

"_Indeed," _Sydney nodded. _"He certainly is acting in his true self. Yes, that's the way he lives. You may leave your friends and come with me… leave Ryu and your family. You have done enough responsibility for them… and that's my concern." _

"_I've wanted to live in peace without anyone interfering. Sydney, do you break relationships between two people at once?"_

Breaking relationships? Does she mean. . .

"_Certainly, child, I've watched over your fates for centuries and I've saw two threads about your life have faded. The first thread served as your happiness, problem-free emotions and your everlasting joy. The second thread served as your courage, boldness, hope and your radiance."_

"_M-my radiance..?"_

"_Of course, but now they have faded from your mixed feelings, you have lost them. Your light radiance became dark. I could no longer see the happiness not just from your outer character but deep inside your heart. It has been replaced by sorrow. You are no longer the courageous but a coward little lass every person knows. The only thread left is the one about to be cut into half…"_

"_Third thread… the last one,"_

"_The last thread symbolized your good dignity, your faithfulness, and your great role as a sister. The last thread does not fade, but it is cut. Once it is cut… those values will fade… no one will remember you. No one will remember you have existed, and most of all, you are no longer bonded with Ryu… what makes the two of you bonded as siblings."_

"_I choose to wander off my own and… forget about the old memories. My heart has been constricted with thorns… please, Sydney, give me the only opportunity to live in peace and… reborn as a different person _also _from the outer character…"_

"_If you insist, child… from now on, you will always be with me. I _will _be your adoptive mother while you my little angel. Come with me… we will change everything…"_

"_Yes… _mother_… I will follow you…"_

The illusion faded and I was back in the real world. The atmosphere had changed. So Drei has finally got what she wants. She no longer needs me. She chose to live in peace and reborn as another person. I never thought I would feel _heartbroken _before.

But still, she still has her humanity. Why was she wasting it? She's doing it all wrong.

I have to stop her.

But it was too late.

Our connection is broken. What's next? Relationship..?

Her soul has departed… leaving her body (her rag doll form) here on earth and… sworn to forget about me and the others. What about her life? What about her friends?

What about… me?

_As we grow up, we move on… _Mom told me these words. Drei is moving on. I am moving on. But is this the end of our life story?

_Letting go is the hardest thing to do…_

_It is hard to say goodbye…_

Wait… but there is a way to change it.

I have to find her soul… talk to Sydney and… get Drei back before it's too late.


	19. Chapter 19: Conflict

I am really really really… **really **sorry for the super late update after three whole months and two weeks. School work up ahead and two on-going stories haunting me with hordes of ideas and I **seriously **need to finish this story for good. If another sequel plots in my head nowadays, let's see in the future then. I'm really drawn to this story after my handwritten story Forever. Compared to my previous works, many people say I have improved. I did? Hell yeah! Thanks for the support, people!

* * *

Chapter 19: Conflict

* * *

The ghost demon never left me alone. She will never, ever do. I knew it all the time. Celine will always be in my body… and soul. But what can I do? Drei's _dead _because of me. I was a burden to my friends. At first, nobody believes at every word I say. But now, I don't know. It's either they're giving me the cold shoulder or an icy distance.

I went straight to the common room after I got dressed. I slid the door gently if everyone is asleep on their beds. Oh, the atmosphere is quiet. I came in when I noticed Ryu standing in front of the window, his eyes are glaring up at the night sky. On his hand is a shattered piece of mirror, the fragment Drei made me prick my finger on it. I really **don't **have to know what happened next. But then the next thing I noticed is Drei reverted into her doll form, now lying dead.

"What happened?" I ask.

Ryu's head tilted behind toward me. I knew the look from his eyes are filled with remorse. Then I recalled it was my fault his sister died… again. All of these are Celine's doing. But what about Sydney? Her twin sister who looks exactly like me? I assume I _am _the reincarnation of the evil demon herself. But hey, the twins are both demons. But they have differences.

That is when Ryu told me everything. Something about seeing the road of stars and seeing Drei floating on air with Sydney. It was painful for him that Drei is leaving him – and us – behind. But why? They only stayed with us for a week and a day and yet she;s leaving us already?

"Are you gonna tell the others about this?" I ask again.

"This leaves me no choice," Ryu said, holding the shattered glass on his hand and staring at his almost deadly reflection. "I gotta save Drei. She may be leaving us but _you _are going to corrupt her soul,"

"I.. I don't know, Ryu, I didn't know everything," I said. "Not when I find out I'm the Celine incarnate all along,"

"Yeah, I know that," he retorted. "I need to find Drei's soul. She wandered somewhere and looking for a place to join Sydney,"

"So, what's wrong with that?"

Ryu's face turned grim as he faced me. "She didn't even bother to say goodbye," he hissed.

I flinched from what he said. He's becoming more threatening than I've imagined.

He walked in wide strides towards the bed where the doll-mode Drei lay. Ryu pressed the shattered glass almost shaped like a shuriken on her chest, creating a small hole. Before I could react, I saw a large stain of green blood on the pillow, and now I see more coming from her chest. I almost forgot her blood transformed. But for me, this is all wrong. Drei is still a human deep inside.

I then heard Ami and Janize waking up. Toshi, Thei, Marina and Rein remained asleep on their beds. Rein is literally snoring. I could see tiny bubbles sprouting out of his nose. If only a sharp poited object could make it burst like a balloon.

"Oh, what are you two staying up this late?" Janize asked, yawning.

"Hmm," Ami suddenly smirked. "Guess you and Ryu enjoyed your happy hour in the secret room, huh?" I blushed madly and couldn't say anything. But Ryu didn't mind them. He was busy cutting Drei's chest and he seems to be looking for something inside her.

"Aww great," Ami sighed in exasperation. "Now this stupid moron's cutting on Drei's skin like rotten meat!" she said it so loud that the others woke up. I grumbled and pouted.

"Wha..?" Toshi blinked sleepily.

Janize shrieked. It sounded funny. I mean, the funny thing I mean was their bed is just right next to Rein. Guess we're gonna save his already exploded eardrums for now. But they way Janize screamed, you know why, she saw Ryu doing his flesh-cutting routine to Drei, and she doesn't like it.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled.

"None of your business," Ryu hissed, now his hands are covered in green blood.

"You trying to kill her again?"

He let out a snort. "Huh, she's already dead. Save those rants."

"Ryu, whatever you're doing, it's not good, okay?" Ami said. "We just don't understand why do you keep on creating grudges and curses to your sister, anyway,"

"Like I said," he hollered. "It's **none of your business!**" With that, he turned to face us, holding the shattered glass fragment. His eyes turned from green to scarlet. He poised the glass up and prepared to stab each one of us.

"Uh-oh…" I heard Thei say behind.

"He's out of control," Toshi yelled. With that, he hopped out of bed and attempted to lunge himself on Ryu. But Marina and I stopped him by holding his arms. He muttered grave curses just to make us let him go, but we didn't.

"Ryu…" I turn behind and give him a pitiful stare. His red eyes glimmered as I imagined dark aura engulfing him. "..why?" I mouthed.

Before I could speak again, I saw a shadowy figure behind him. A shadowy form of a girl. She doesn't look like Celine nor Sydney. She was different. The hair is longer than I've imagined. Those menacing pair of eyes glaring at us and became baleful towards Ryu. I tried to shout at him to let him know about it. But instead, he gave me another look of remorse and whispered.

"I'm sorry,"

He threw the glass fragment abruptly on the floor, making the glass stab it deeply and stain it with droplets of green blood. Drei's bloodied doll form suddenly disappeared like dust. A strong gust of wind showered us, making my hair fly behind me and so with the others. I heard Toshi shouting Ryu's name while we suddenly find ourselves absorbed by a black hole. The exact spot Ryu stabbed. The glass must be really cursed. Soon, we're all sucked by the horrible-looking black hole until the only image I can see became blurry.

Then unconsciousness took over our bodies.

* * *

I stare at the black hole slowly growing smaller. I don't know how I came up with this idea but somehow, the glass is probably cursed. I heard the screams of our friends, including Ayame. The way she looked at me was like… she wanted me to stop. Yeah, I feel bad. But what angered me the most is Drei. Well, you saw what she did. She planned to ditch us. All of us. She had the nerve to ditch her friends, especially me.

She's doing it all wrong. Why is she joining with that witch, anyway? I had a bad feeling she's only brainwashing her or whatsoever.

As the black hole grew thinner until it's completely gone, the area around me began to reform. Only that I realized this place wasn't actually a _real _house. Not a mansion or an apartment.

What I only see is dark space.

I found myself walking on space surrounded by purple and red northern lights like what you see from certain places especially at night. I walked in silence as a portal made its way to approach me. Not when a figure stood, its back turned on me. First, I thought it was a troubled boy finding a right passage. But when I peered closer. I saw Drei.

Rage and hesitation went through me as I balled my hands into fists. I made a run towards her and yelled curses and obscenities towards her.

Drei looked behind her shoulder, saw me, and gasped. I could hear her making hesitating noises as she stepped inside the portal, probably doing her best to escape from me.

Luckily, I entered the portal as well. It closed behind me until I find myself trapped inside another dark space.

I walked forward to search for that stupid sister of mine. Heck, she's bailing on me, haven't you noticed?

"_**Where are you, you stupid dame!"**_

My voice echoed from the dark abyss. Gee, that's interesting. My voice sounded metallic and strong.

There I saw her again. This time, she didn't know she was standing behind me all along and mistaken me for someone else. I found her in her alive doll-mode state. Her skin grey and sewn like most voodoo dolls from toy stores. Knowing this is my chance, I abruptly cupped my hand on her mouth, taking her hostage. She whimpered from my strong grasp.

She made muffled and grumbling noises that are starting to annoy me. So I let her go and let her give me those not-so evil glares.

"So you've found me, ha?"

"Just in time, little sister," I say. "I just wanna ask you a few questions,"

"Yeah, right," she snorted. "Something about me ditching **you **and let you live on your own?"

"Exactly," I nod. "Just wanna let you know that it's not amusing playing a ditching game with your friends, especially to a sibling,"

"Just…" she grimaced, squeezing her eyes shut. "…leave me alone! You'll just put a crap out of yourself!"

"I don't give a damn, Drei!" I yelled at her. "I thought you want to be a human again!"

"I change my mind, Ryu," Drei retorted. "You know, I just wasted my time surviving as a worthless being on earth and making the heaven goddess descend you and me in this place. That's right, I'm a liar. There's no way I'm ever gonna tell you the truth," She ripped the center part of her shirt, revealing the huge hole I created on her chest.

"What are you trying to do to me, ha?" she demanded.

I smirk at the question and press my hand on her wounded chest. "This," I shoved my hand deeply into that hole until I located the _disposable _heart inside. It wasn't a real heart like all people do. It was a heart used to make sure the host still has both humanity and soul. Drei's lips oozed green blood. Her hands clutch my arm to get it off. Before she could bite me, I squished the thing like a water balloon.

"Oh you…"

Drei grumbled under her breath and glared at me. My hand is covered in her green blood. She fell on her knees, clutching her chest and wincing.

"Any more things to reveal before you face double death?" I said in my cold and brittle accent.

"Hmp," she pouted. "Make me,"

As if she's waiting for me to scowl, I simply gave her the evil smirk. She's daring me alright. And I'm gonna do it whether she likes it or not.

The moment she stood up, her hand is still holding her chest to stop the bleeding. But since the wound is deep, there's no stopping it.

Then my hand went to her left ear and suddenly tearing it off her skin. She's a doll with a human soul inside. That won't be a problem, right? But I still hurt her. I tore her left ear with the sound of a paper torn into shreds. Drei bellowed and used her other had to grab that bleeding spot.

"There, you happy?"

She immediately shook her head. Suddenly, she was crying, regretting the thing she said about daring me to do so. There she goes again, crying. I hate it when she cries. Her sobs are mixed with anger and remorse.

"Why… can't you just…" she sniffed as her pale blue eyes glared at me. "**LEAVE ME ALONE!**" The portal behind her opened, she suddenly fell on her back inside and I followed. Without hesitating, my fingers curled around her neck, choking her.

I don't know where we are. But the place looked familiar. But then the old wooden floor made me figure out.

We are in the secret room. Right where the twins used to live in.

Drei's eyes averted to a different direction. She seems to be watching someone. Someone I _did _know. I tried to follow the direction but I saw no one. I just continued to strangle her until to my surprise; she quickly gave in her last.

So that's how weak she truly is.

So here I am, staring at her now lifeless doll form bleeding green. The holes on her chest and left side of her head. But still, no traces of her soul. She must have escaped from that weak body and went out searching for another passage to bail on me again. Oh, that's just great. Now I have to find _another _passage so I could track her.

Our connection's broken. So there's no way I could track her that easily. One thing that made me wonder what made _it _broken. Hmm, maybe it's because she chose to break our relationship as siblings. That way, she can do whatever she wants, same as me. I can do whatever I want to her.

"Aww… what a very cute sight,"

A cold, female demonic voice echoed behind me. I turned behind and see Celine standing few distances away. Like what they say, she always reminded me of Ayame. But for her appearance, her hair is frizzy. She dressed as a street woman wearing gothic clothes. She gave me a sinister smile, which I sent her back with a glare.

"Very impressive, child," she said, clapping her hands. She puts her hands on her hips and grins. "You did a very good job. You could use a great temper,"

"Go on, talk," I grumbled. "At least you don't really know the reason why I did that,"

The sound of her heels approaching me broke the eerie silence in this creepy place. "Suppose my Miss Goody twin planned to take your sister away and ditch you? Aww… I feel sorry for you, Ryu. Now that you've killed her, you'll be enjoying yourself 'cause you finally got what you want,"

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "That doesn't sound enjoying to me,"

"Huh. Well, since you demand a lot of real answers, allow me to explain."

Allow her to explain. Another _great _opportunity. It could be that Drei must have told her. Or someone we didn't know.

"Because your precious Ayame is my mortal host, there are possibilities that your sister told her everything and they were passed on to me." Celine begins to explain. I listen to every word. Because our topic includes Ayame and Drei is the main character. "Back when you and your sister are plain humans, Ayame has been my target for ages! My twin sister thought you're all working together against her when it was me all along. She seeks vengeance, possessed you, and killed Drei.

"Before those events happened, Ayame told Drei everything she felt when I was her inner voice. Well, your sister always wanted to keep crazy stuff as secrets until she shared them to you. One day, Ayame started feeling strange encounters with you talking to **me **impersonating Sydney as the prime suspect of everything with your uneasy attempts to strike your sister down,"

Yeah, those things are true. I once tried to confront Drei and tell her to stop hiding things from me. Right now, she is doing it. All those lies. They gave me enough hatred and remorse until I've had enough.

"The times when you two are living happily in paradise, Drei kept those secrets all for herself yet you never found out. And **then **you feel suspicious about those precious secrets. The death of Ayame's little sister. Extremely awful. I wanted to tell you that Drei has something to do with it, including the time my twin sister shot her on the chest before you witnessed everything. Sydney wanted her to ditch my side. The shattered reflection on the grass. Janize coughing out blood due to my curse. And the mark under Ayame's bed. All of these are _my _doing. I chose Ayame as my host to strike you and Drei down. But since I found out she's weak, I have no other choice but to release myself from her for a while.

"Now for Drei," she said with a snotty snort. "Suppose she's going to stay human for the rest of her life like you. But since she denied she is a human, she reverted herself back into her doll form. Ayame is convinced it's all her fault, and so do the others. She's been giving icy distances to you nowadays. While you and your Ayame are enjoying your happy hour, she's been sending silent words and incantations to Sydney and confessed everything only to her, and not you.

She had the heart-to-heart talk to her and told her all of the secrets she kept from you. She only confessed her lies to Sydney. She didn't want all of you – especially you, Ryu – to find out. Her secrets have something to do to make her go back to the paradise without you. But now, she and Sydney made an agreement to join forces and… **break your relationship as siblings and your connection**, she almost saw Sydney's appearance as a mother. Ahh, my sister's such a Miss Goody-Two Shoes. She gave Drei the courage to be free once again and leave you all alone," She said with a pretending sad look.

"Drei realized she's facing her greatest enemy. She's making her run for it."

It was easy to figure it out. "Yeah, it's me, alright,"

"Oh good, you figured it out," Celine said with a smirk. "Children these days. Hmp, oh well. Now while Drei and Sydney are living together in peace, you think they've already reached their destination? I doubt it. They'll **never **make it. I managed to stop them and snatch her soul from my sister. What you saw earlier is just an illusion."

"Now that you have her," I stood up for her. "Would you mind tell me where she is?"

Celine suddenly laughed. "Of course I have her. I chained Sydney to the other side while Drei is trapped in my clutches. Your mixed feelings towards her made her feel the same. She mistaken me as Sydney and told me more about your lives as siblings. How you planned to strike her down and turn her life into a misery. Then I made a solution to her problem,"

I felt a jolt of shock. Drei told her everything. That's just great. Now what has she done to us? I clench my fists and demanded. "The reason I wanted to strike her is just…" I squeezed my eyes shut until I pulled myself together, "She told me lies. She never told me about these. Now that I found out she broke our connection **and **our relationship, wouldn't I be mad? Of course I would! She did this to abandon me! She thinks I'll be enjoying my life without her and everything will be peaceful. You know what? If Drei is here, **I'm going to hate her from now on**. She really doesn't deserve to live, anyway,"

"Cunning and very cold," Celine chuckled. Now I have enough confidence to blurt out everything.

"Hmm. Apparently, Drei _is _here, you know? She's been listening all the time to your words. Hating her would make it bad. But since you hated her personally, she was _touched_. She's in terrible pain," she said with a smirk as she stepped sideways. "I've told you before. I snatched her from Sydney and forced her to let me corrupt her so she could strike you down. You won't see the old Drei than before. She really changed,"

Rage went through me. Suppose I "won't" give a damn to this situation. Celine showed me scenarios of her impersonating Sydney and doing the things t brainwash Drei. First, a scene of Drei telling her everything. Second, the scene of her tucking Drei on bed. The next thing is she touched her forehead and summoned darkness to enter her. Then Drei's eyes opened. They were scarlet and deadly. Celine mouthed out words and she automatically agreed.

"_Do you want to live a new life?"_

"_Yes,"_

"_Do you want to end this madness by killing your brother?"_

"_Yes,"_

"_Do you want to prove to him that you're right and dominant?"_

"_Yes, I do,"_

"_Are you choosing my side?"_

"_Yes,"_

"_And… do you take Ryu as your greatest enemy at all times?"_

"_YES!"_

Damn it. Total brainwashing. But there are traces that she means it. I am her greatest enemy… all this time.

"Say hello to your sister, Ryu. I know you want to see her, don't you?" She did another side step until she revealed a person behind her. A girl wearing a black and red outfit. Dark hair straight and gliding beyond her shoulders. Her head bowed at her shoes' direction.

"Darling," Celine say. "Your brother is right here. He wants to see you so bad. Why don't you come up and greet him, won't you?"

She looks up. Instead of blue, her eyes turned red. Blood-red. She glared at me and I looked back in surprise. The Drei I know wasn't like this. She's vulnerable and passive. But the Drei I see in front of me is different. I see vengeance. Programmed to kill me.

"I'm going to leave you two and talk," Celine said with an evil grin. "And make you enjoy your epic sibling rivalry,"

She vanished into thin air and I was left alone with a malevolent sister standing on the same ground as mine.


	20. Chapter 20: The End?

I think this will be the ending of the The Demon Returns series. The point of view is obviously from the last chapter. This is rated T because of the curses from the early previous chapters and violence and a little gore. It depends on the character attribute whether they want to curse, swear or not. But I want you to know, I'm not fund of cursing and saying those words. Just don't mind the other chapters.

* * *

Chapter 20: The End..?

* * *

_She stood with her feet flat on the floor. Her scarlet eyes looking up at the person standing few distances, he was there. That despicable yet annoying person in the world. Anger and rage she felt, she balled her hands into fists, her eyes glowing bloody-red. It was her brother. No, he's not. He's her enemy. Her greatest enemy. Her "mother" told her so. __**He is your enemy. Don't trust him. He just wants to kill you and that's that. **__She was right. He was heartless after all. Now she has to kill him and fast._

_He hates me, she says. Now I'm gonna have to make him regret it before he gives in his last. _

_The woman beside her, her so-called "mother", who nodded at her with a smirk, patted her on the shoulder and extended her hand towards her target. Now she is ready._

_He. Will. Pay._

* * *

_Celine stood there, a smirk spread across her face. She crossed her arms on her chest and grinned, enjoying the moment between those two persons before her who're about to enjoy the greatest sibling rivalry ever. Ayame's little Setsuna, her little sister's death, the marks, the curse on Ami and Janize, the bloody mark under Ayame's bed, the loss of Drei's humanity and double death, the breakage of their relationship and connection, and most of all,_

_Making them fight for their lives. _

"_I'm brilliant…" she chuckled. "My twin sister's such a weak Miss Goody Two Shoes."_

_Yeah, she kidnapped Drei's soul before Sydney could even take her back to heaven. But then, impersonating her was the great idea, and Drei fell for it. _

_And now, there they are. Facing each other, prepared to fight, now that is a real sibling rivalry._

* * *

I can't believe it. It was her.

Yeah seriously, she's just… standing there and staring at me – no – I mean, glaring at me.

But what I'm seeing is not the real Drei. Her eyes were red instead of blue. She still wore those same pair of glasses. Her appearance is real, real like a live human. It's the first time I saw the _real _anger from her eyes and her lips.

The fact, she's not really a human. A suddenly reborn doll reverted into a human, reverted back to doll, and reverted again and again. But for me, she is seriously **not **a human being. She's just a soul "reformed" and suddenly who faced a thing called double death. I'm not a human either. It's like I'm a soul trapped in someone's body.

Now what do I do? I'm just standing here before my little sister who has gone malevolent because of that witch. Because of me. I am alone with her right now. I don't know what to say. I said something obscene that somehow discouraged her reputation.

"Hey, Drei, what happened to you?" I suddenly ask. She shot me another glare, her hands trembling and clenched.

"What happened to me? Why, I'm reformed!" she said back. "It's about time since we talked, ha?"

"Duh, we always talked. We're siblings after all,"

"What do you mean we _are_? We may be siblings, but we are not connected," What?

"You don't know what you're saying. That stupid hag brainwashed you,"

"Sydney would never brainwash me!" Then Drei swooped towards me, her hand holding a dagger with its sharp tip ready to stab me. But I was prepared. I grabbed her wrist where she held the blade. She grimaced and winced.

"Let go of me," she hissed. I just tighten the grip on her wrist. "No," She struggled to pull free but I just keep my hold. I pressed harder, making her hand tremble and drop the dagger on the floor. I stepped over the knife to keep her from taking the object with her foot. Then she pulled her hand away from my hold when her other hand prepared itself to hit me.

When her hand is just inches away before I get slapped, I did something not-so stupid.

She suddenly winced and froze. She clutched her arm and stared at her suddenly bleeding palm. Well, there's something in it, something press through in and out of her skin. A scalpel. She stared at me in surprise, wondering where I got that thing. No need to tell, it's the thing I've got to injure her a little… maybe.

"I'm saying it again, you don't know what you're doing," I said. "You're really denying that the woman is Celine, not the Miss Goody Sydney,"

"STOP IT!" She retorted, punching me on the chest. I grimaced and winced. She really punched me, and it hurt. "You told her you hate me, so I'll pay you back. You said I don't deserve to live!" Oww snap. I got the feeling I should take that back.

"Oh yeah, what are those things you kept from me? Tell me you have something to do with Setsuna's death," I demanded, yelling out Ayame's little sister who died. That's the main reason she moved back here and reported about it.

Drei bit her lower lip, pulling out the scalpel from her palm covered in blood. She wasn't saying anything.

"All this time you knew all about it and didn't tell me?"

She sighed grimly. "It's none of your business, Ryu," she hissed. "I have my own plans. I told you many times to leave me alone and give me a little space,"

"Duh, you're always free of making decisions. I thought you're only gonna revert into a human and find a new life. But look what happened. You wasted that stupid humanity of yours and let a dumb-assed witch brainwash you and turn you into a malevolent freak,"

She gritted her teeth and grimaced, her eyes glowing redder. Suddenly, she pulled out something from her pocket, a new knife. "Why you little…"

I took the dagger from the floor and prepared myself. "Try me, Drei, you're just not acting like yourself,"

"**I am!**" she screamed, shoving her hand forward with the knife. I dodged and blocked it with the dagger. We kept on and on from those lunges, slashing, and bruising each other until I can see Drei's cheek with a clean cut. Tiny droplets of blood started appearing.

Then my attention turned to the pendant she wore. That necklace. Where the heck did that come from? I've been noticing her wearing it ever since we got descended from heaven, reborn, and "reformed". I haven't seen it before. Dad and Mom never gave her that one. Without hesitation, I snapped it apart from her neck, breaking the thread that dangled around her neck.

"Hey!" she complained.

"Where did you get this?" I ask, holding the pendant in my hand. Drei grimaced again and reached out to take it back, but I swing my hand away until it was out of her reach.

"Give me that, it's mine!" she demanded.

"Tell me where you got this first,"

"I said, GIVE IT!" she yelled, but I don't give it back. Unless she answers me.

"Answer my question first,"

She gave in and sighed. "Sydney gave it to me while I'm in my sleep in heaven," she confessed. "She told me it will bring me good fortune and luck. It was very important to me," I just smirk.

"Do you _really _think so?"

"A hundred percent sure," she nodded grimly. Then I broke the pendant design in my hand, grinding almost the parts into shreds. Drei stared at me in shock then replaced by anger.

"You bastard!" she swore. "I thought you'll give it back!"

She pushed me firmly with both arms, causing me to stagger backwards. That's it. I paid her back by giving her a very hard push and sending her landing on her butt. She dropped the knife and the scalpel's sharp tip pricked her fingers.

"For the last time, you are not yourself today, little sister. Your words of "wisdom" proved how stupid you really are,"

Drei shot me a glare. "I'm not stupid," she hissed. I knelt down in front of her and grabbed her collar.

"_Exactly_," I smirked, showing her the small broken piece of the pendant design. It revealed a symbol engraved with the strange mark she and I had a year ago in our arms. Mine was different. The one engraved on the pendant is the one she had. I don't know what happened to mine, anyway. "Do you know what this means?"

"What?"

"THIS!" I flashed the symbol on her face so she can see. She gazed at the small image. Her eyes suddenly widen in surprise.

"Well?"

The symbol started to move. Something white and glittering shimmered like vapour as it entered into her eyes. They blinked between red and blue, struggling to go back to normal.

"N-no…" she wailed and I let go. She stared blankly at the symbol, trembling. She stared back at her bleeding hand stabbed by me with the scalpel. Her head bowed, allowing her long hair to cover her face. Her fingers touched the shreds of the pendant when I saw tears turning the floor wet.

Then all I can hear is Drei crying. Her sniffs turned into sobs. More tears wetting the floor.

"W-why..?"

Her tears splattered the floor while pushing her fingers together while they're banged on the floor. I can see her trembling… from remorse.

"T-this…" she sniffed. More tears. "This…" she stammered. She looked up until I can her eyes leaked with tears. "This is a lie!"

"Shut up!" I yell at her. What? She still thinks what I'm saying are just made-up.

"She would _never _do this to me!" Drei retorted while sobbing. "You're the _one _lying!"

My hands balled into fists. I've had enough with this bad-ass crap. Great, I have no other choice.

"Can't you see what she did to you? She brainwashed you to kill me! How many times do I have to tell it over again? You think you're doing the right thing, but you're not. She told you _lies_ – " I paused, because what Celine told me earlier before she vanished were actually true. The lies I'm talking about are the parts where she impersonated herself as Sydney and did that brainwashing thingy to program Drei to kill me.

"You shouldn't be really alive, Drei, you've caused a lot of trouble for now," I said, gaining the confidence. "What the hell were you thinking back then? You being the burden for everyone and blamed?"

"Oh good," she let out a bitter laugh. "Now you realized the pain I felt,"

"Who cares if it sounds painful?" I snorted. "You cared too much about yourself. And you even had the nerve to break that connection and destroy our official relationship as siblings!"

"Ryu," she sighed in frustration. "I've told you lies, right? You just… just don't know the **real **reason I did that. You haven't known _everything _from me. You did nothing but to judge me,"

She stood up, holding the scalpel and the knife in one hand, the bleeding one. She wiped off her tears. "I lied because I don't want to get myself exposed like crap then suddenly treated like dirt. I have a lot of personal reasons. They have nothing to do with you and yet you guys are following my steps, spy on me, sneak up on me or even demand answers. I'm really tired. I seriously need a rest….."

"**A DAMN PEACEFUL REST!**" she said it out loud. "I told you to leave me alone, mind your own business and solve the problems yourselves!"

"I'm not stupid," I say grimly. "You'll be treated dirtier if you'll keep on lying, you _idiot_. I guess you don't know the thing called '**The truth will set you free**'," I said with a scowl. Jeez, what's it like correcting a little sister's mistakes, anyway?

Drei just said nothing. She probably didn't know what to say. Well, that proved she's a liar. Now she has to spit out the truth.

"Alright, since we're alone, it's time you should spit it out."

She sighed. "You already knew it, Ryu. The truth has been revealed. Marina told you the rest of the details."

I again repeated the 'Celine controlling your freaking mind' sentence. I suppose she doesn't wanna believe me.

"No, she's _not_," she said. "She'll never do that,"

Gah, that's it!

"**THAT BITCH IS CONTROLLING YOUR STUPID MIND! STOP SAYING SHE'S NOT BECAUSE SHE PROBABLY IS! What the hell is wrong with you? You're out of your mind! Snap out of it, Drei.**"

"**OPEN YOUR EYES AND STICK TO THE REALITY!**"

The atmosphere went silent. Drei's expression became different. I got tired from all that yelling. She just stood there, saying nothing. We went on like this for a couple of seconds before she stared at her bleeding hand holding the scalpel and the knife. Then again, I can see her trembling. But this time, a _real _and _scared _trembling.

The scalpel and the knife both fell out of her hands then on to the floor with a loud clank. She fell on her knees, stared on the ground, not knowing there were tears leaking from her eyes again. They were open, blinking, and trembling, too, as well.

I calmed down and managed to give myself a little cooldown. I can hear her real sobs. She was… back to normal. Those same hiccupping sobs I hear. Tears dripped onto the floor when I heard her saying something between her sniffs.

"I… I…" she stammered. "I-I'm sorry…"

Her eyes were squeezed shut, fighting back the tears. "I-I didn't know what I was doing. I d-didn't want t-this…"

I sighed. "See? I'm the only one who knows our situation. It's our problem, you know. You've just gotten unstable,"

"But look what happened to me," she said, her lip quivering. "I abused my own humanity. I used it like crap!" She bowed her head and sighed. "You're right. I really don't deserve to live like normal. I wasted a lot of time on earth, anyway,"

"No, you didn't," I replied sharply. "We're still humans on the inside. But unfortunately, our stay in here is only temporary…" Then I started to blurt out the past events. "Those times of our friends hiding us by pushing us into the closet doors so students won't find out we turned into zombies. They make up their own theories of us needing for blood like vampires and that 'we're immortals' thing. Those were absolutely not true. We never told them our stay here is really temporary,"

"You keep on denying you're a human. Like I said, we're still humans on the inside. We lose blood and we're dead. Even if we transformed into those doll-like forms, slashing our wrists to revert us into temporary humans, but for me, I finally found it lame. Guess we're both stupid and brainless after all,"

"And heartless," she added.

"Look, Drei, what I did earlier was a mess. I…" I stammered. "I created a black hole that sucked up all of our friends,"

I knew what comes next. Her blue eyes staring at me in complete surprise: "What?"

"Yes, Ayame is one of them. But I have to do it. We don't want any witnesses,"

"Oh, you idiot," she hissed. "Now look what you've done. Now what happened to them?"

"That is all _we _wanna know,"

Then we heard the same splattering footsteps. We looked behind and saw Celine walking back toward us. Her face forming a cold smile and her hands balled into fists.

"So you're back to your old self, ha?" she said bitterly. "Well, you're lucky, little girl," She glared towards me. "So are you, Ryu, you used your mentality to snap her out of my control,"

"Even I have resources," I replied grimly.

Celine laughed bitterly. "What clever thoughts," she chuckled. "So you told her the truth, very good, child. Now that she knew and you exposed me, it's time you'll deserve your reward,"

Her hand reached up, holding a sharp pointed arrow. It was the same arrow that stabbed Drei deeply on the chest back then. Drei just stood there, not knowing what to do.

"You deserve this, Ryu, you'll always be a brave and clever kid," she grinned as she thrust the arrow. I reached out to grab it and –

Damn. Too late.

I heard Drei screaming, her hands covering her lips when she saw what just happened to me.

The hard thrust of the arrow got directly into my chest. I felt the feeling of utter astonishment. My eyes were wide open, catching my breath. Drei gritted her teeth.

"Why you little – "

And the same thing happened. Celine had a spare arrow.

Drei clutched her chest and again I saw the early scenes of her stabbed deeply on the chest and a possessed me stabbing her deeply on the stomach. I can see more blood. Blood dripping on the floor with mine, and the life getting drove out of our "bodies". Celine grinned and placed her hands on her hips, enjoying all the excitement.

"Go on. Say your last words before your second afterlife,"

My vision is starting to lose focus. Slowly until the only one I can see is Drei collapsing on her back with the arrow standing upright. Large amounts of blood dripping from her chest, lips and her bleeding hand. Celine took the two daggers we had and threw each one of them on our stomachs like dart arrows. I felt the same pain. I find myself coughing out blood and my energy draining out…

Celine let out the cold bitter laugh, watching us die.

I couldn't hold it much longer. I slowly closed my eyes and say goodbye to my second life.

And that's where the grunts, blade swinging and the bloodcurdling screams began.

* * *

I can't believe what I just saw.

The possession. The confrontation. Remorse. Pain. Rivalry. Misunderstanding. Then suddenly, all of them were transformed into peace, friendship and the opposite, the understanding. I heard everything they said. They confessed the truth. I was glad they did. But the painful is they were killed… and died again.

Celine watching them die while laughing in a very cold manner. Then right after a few minutes, a figure swooped in and the two of them broke into a bloody fight, killing each other on the process and ended up lying on the floor with the two dead bodies, never to be resurrected again.

But I've wanted to ask myself. I managed to escape from the black hole, hide, and spy on Ryu before I witnessed everything.

What am I doing here?

Why am I still here?

…why am I alive?

…_The…End..?_

* * *

That's the end of the second saga, people! Note that the POV after Ryu's is… Marina. Yeah, she managed to escape the black hole while the rest of the characters were sucked, trapped, and gone forever, never to be seen again. Alright, since I finally got this published, let's get to the third saga (ZOMGWHUT). Anyway, another chapter of this will be coming up.

Focus on completely different character POV.

And it will be the trailer for the third saga ;D

And oh, I wanna thank Rialey-chan, especially Haruna-chan, who really read the first and the second saga. Haruna can't stop talking about it and convinced Rialey to read it XD But oh well, at least they're updated. I HEART YA GUYS! ARIGATO!


	21. Haunted 3: Trailer

**Haunted 3: Dark Secrets (Trailer/Prologue)**

* * *

_**9 years earlier…**_

The only things we could remember are our dad and mom tucking us on our beds, flicking out the lights and closing the door. Mom kisses us good night. Dad ruffles our heads. We just stare at them as they leave the room with us laid down sharing one bed.

Before we were tucked to sleep, our grandma told us a story.

A bedtime story that will sure put us all to sleep as I sat on Dad's lap while my sister hurled herself into Mom's arms, we barely know our grandma. She doesn't always show up every day. She always makes excuses she has urgent responsibilities.

Grandma tells us the story. Two siblings living together in an old house and invited friends to live with them while their parents are away, they thought they're gonna have their lives as their personal paradise. But they were wrong. There were super strange things happening in the house. Grandma never told us anything about those strange things.

The last words she said were the house inhabited by a ghost. A girl, she says. She didn't tell us the name of that ghost. My sister started to cry and bury her face on Mom's chest. She held her tightly in her arms. I dunno why Grandma can be a… cliff-hanger. My sister's cries made her stop the story.

"That's all for tonight, little ones," she says. "Better go to sleep before the ghost haunts you in your dreams,"

My sister whimpered, tears sprang down her cheeks as Mom wiped them off. "Is it true about the ghost?" she asked.

Mom just smiled. "No, Aika-chan, ghosts don't exist. They're just your imagination,"

_Just your imagination._

Dad pulled my arm. "C'mon, Ryuu-chan, you need to go to bed, too," he said, taking me to our room, passed the door and carrying me to our shared bed. Mom placed Aika beside me and lifted up the covers over our small bodies.

That's when the dreams began. I suddenly pictured those two siblings. The only things I see were the colors of their eyes.

Sapphire blue. Forest green.

Who are those people? I don't know them. They seem to be telling us something. When I peered closer, there were a boy and a girl. They look like adults. Uhmm… teenagers, actually. Then their images rippled. They're gone.

_Ghosts don't exist. They're just your imagination._

Is it me or are ghosts more than your imagination?

* * *

Very short because this is the trailer for the third saga, which means NEW characters, NEW names, OLD personalities, NEW lives and also… NEW strange events to encounter.

I'll dedicate the entire Haunted saga to Rialey-chan and Haruna-chan, who've read the two previous sagas and wanted me to make a new saga. Especialy Haruna-chan who can't stop taking about it until she informed Rialey. I'll also appreciate reviews for improvement.

Stay tuned for the third saga. COMING SOON!


End file.
